EasyJet pilots vote to strike - threatening half-term holiday plans

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Pilots working for Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet, have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute over working patterns – industrial action that could threaten families’ half-term holidays in late October.

Members of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) working for easyJet are unhappy about their rosters, which they say are leading to fatigue.

In a ballot with a 88 per cent turnout, 96 per cent voted for some form of industrial action. That represents five out of six Balpa members at easyJet.

But the union’s general secretary, Brian Strutton, said Balpa had received a last-minute offer from easyJet to resolve the dispute: “We will consider this carefully in meetings tomorrow before taking any further decisions.

"For clarity, that means there are no plans for pilots taking industrial action in easyJet at this stage. We will issue further information tomorrow.”

In February 2016, new European Aviation Safety Agency flight-time limitation rules took effect.

The union believes they have obliged pilots “to work longer and harder leading to dangerous levels of fatigue”.

A spokesperson for the airline said: “EasyJet is committed to working with Balpa to find a resolution to the issues raised and we hope to reach a mutually agreeable solution. EasyJet can reassure its passengers that no industrial action is currently planned by its UK pilots.”