Cost of Travel Set To Rise For Striking

With last weekend's strikes going ahead and another four-day strike on its way, British Airways has struck a bit of a blow to those workers who have walked out by taking away one of the perks of their jobs: their access to free or reduced price plane fares.

As standard, British Airways workers receive unlimited access to staff travel fares, which are heavily discounted, knocking a good £100 off the cost of flights to destinations such as America, while non-staff passengers have to pay a fair bit more, as well as having to organise cheap travel insurance. British Airways staff also receive business class trips each year, a perk which includes their families and for which they only pay air passenger duty.

However, those who have gone on strike in the recent industrial action, represented by the union Unite, are set to lose out, as airline bosses have permanently removed this non-contractual perk for those employees. So, as well as organising travel insurance when they head abroad, these British Airways workers will now have to consider more expensive plane fares too.

The removal of the perk seems set to affect some 2,000 people. The reason behind this action appears to be the airline's need to recover some of the huge losses it suffered last weekend as a consequence of the industrial action, which resulted in many flights being cancelled and cost the airline roughly £21 million, according to British Airways bosses.

Unite condemned the withdrawal of the perk, calling it a 'vindictive move' and an example of 'bullying' by the airline, but British Airways insisted that it has always held the right to withdraw the perk, as it is not part of staff contracts. Meanwhile, talks continue between both sides.