26th Sep 2019 14:35
(Alliance News) - The British Airways Pilots Union on Thursday said it will consider more strike dates and took aim at International Consolidated Airlines Group SA for attributing its profit warning to recent industrial action.
Balpa labelled British Airways, an airline in the FTSE 100-listed firm's portfolio, as dishonest for laying the blame of its profit warning on pilot strikes.
Balpa said: "The airline's tactic to lay the blame for a fall in profits at the door of the pilots, and without any mention of the impact their IT issue or GDPR fine, is completely disingenuous.
"Balpa has tried to remain reasonable during this dispute and offered a compromise to BA on September 4, and then on September 18 we called off the strike planned for September 27 to allow for a period of reflection."
The union added that it has not received any response from BA and pilots at the airline have asked Balpa "to consider more strike dates".
Balpa General Secretary Brian Strutton said: "This is proof that BA's intransigence towards its pilots is economic madness. Their total disengagement is evidence of a senior management team that has lost the plot and doesn't know how to resolve their dispute with their pilots."
Earlier on Thursday, IAG said industrial action and other recent disruption has cost the company EUR170 million.
The net financial impact of allowing customers to re-book flights or receive refunds due to pilot strikes resulted in a EUR137 million hit with other "disruption events" at Heathrow costing the firm a further EUR33 million, IAG said.
Shares in IAG were 3.3% lower at 464.48 pence in London on Thursday afternoon.
By Eric Cunha; [email protected]
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