Virgin Atlantic pilots consider strike over fatigue
Pilots are unhappy with scheduling agreements
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Pilots at Virgin Atlantic are reportedly considering going on strike due to worries about fatigue at work and its impact on their wellbeing.
In a recent vote, an overwhelming 96 per cent of Virgin pilots have supported a ballot on strike action.
The concerns centre around Virgin’s scheduling and rostering arrangements, which came into place during the pandemic.
Whilst the current schedule is in place until the end of the year, Virgin have said that they are willing to negotiate in the coming weeks.
Virgin Atlantic pilots are understood to be rostered in for 750 hours a year
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Virgin has said that the current pay and lifestyle agreement was “agreed, developed and supported by Balpa pilot representatives within Virgin Atlantic, and our pilot community”.
The maximum flying time for a commercial pilot is 900 hours per year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
A Virgin Atlantic pilot is rostered in for 750 hours on average.
A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic said: "We continue to honour all agreements and have offered to enter formal pay and lifestyle negotiations with Balpa's pilot union representatives in the coming weeks, well in advance of the agreement expiring in December."
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) is supporting the pilots’ dispute and is pushing for negotiations with the airline to come to a resolution.
Over 820 pilots work for Virgin, and most are believed to be Balpa members.
A Balpa spokesperson spoke to the BBC about the issues the pilots are currently facing: “Our members have registered a trade dispute with Virgin Atlantic arising out of serious concerns relating to pilot fatigue and wellbeing around scheduling and rostering arrangements, implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic."
The airline industry was hit particularly hard during the pandemic, after international travel was halted in order to stop the spread other virus.
Virgin Atlantic operates a long-haul route for many of its flight, so the travel restrictions hit the carrier especially hard.
A Virgin Atlantic spokeperson told the BBC that the airline transformed due to the impact of Covid: “This was fundamental to our survival and our steadfast commitment to returning to sustainable profitability," they said. "We're grateful to them all, including our pilots who play a pivotal role in the success of our operation.”
Its founder, Richard Branson, was rejected by the Government when he asked for financial assistance during the pandemic
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Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic’s founder, asked the Government for assistance in 2020 but was rejected, according to the BBC.
The airline ended up being kept afloat by a £200million boost from the Virgin Group, as well as being boosted by various other investments.
During this period, they cut 3,500 members of staff, leaving it with 6,500 employees.
81 per cent of Balpa’s Virgin Atlantic union members voted in the ballot, which it said gives them “an overwhelming mandate to pursue this dispute”.
It said that its members “feel very strongly” about pilot fatigue and wellbeing.
Balpa said: "We remain ready to commence negotiations to find an acceptable way forward and urge Virgin Atlantic to listen to its staff and put forward an acceptable offer that our members could support."