British holidaymakers could face potential disruption during their summer vacations as EasyJet pilots move closer to strike after rejecting a pay offer worth up to £200,000.
The pilots declined the proposal in a recent ballot, prompting management to re-enter negotiations with representatives from the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa).
Under the terms of the refused offer, EasyJet captains with ten years of experience, who currently earn nearly £164,000 annually, would have seen their pay rise to £190,000 in October and nearly £200,000 by next April.
Although EasyJet pilots had previously shown support for industrial action in response to an earlier pay proposal, Balpa has stated it has no immediate plans to proceed with a strike ballot regarding the latest offer. EasyJet has confirmed that pay discussions will continue and does not anticipate any disruptions at this time.
However, if negotiations fail, the possibility of strike action could loom, potentially causing significant inconveniences for travellers and impacting what EasyJet expects to be a highly successful summer, with bookings projected to exceed pre-Covid levels for the first time during the peak July-September period.
As of mid-last month, the airline’s holiday package division had already sold 70% of its available slots.
