Virgin Atlantic is to start pay talks with pilots amid reports of potential strike action over fatigue and wellbeing concerns.
The issue centres on scheduling and rostering arrangements introduced during the pandemic as the long-haul carrier fought for survival.
The pilots’ union Balpa said 96% of members working for the airline backed being balloted for industrial action.
The union said that 81% of its members at Virgin Atlantic voted in the ballot, giving Balpa “an overwhelming mandate to pursue this dispute”.
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The current agreement expires in December with the majority of Virgin Atlantic’s 835 pilots understood to be members of Balpa.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “The health and wellbeing of our people is paramount and we have a dynamic Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) in place driven by robust data, with regulatory oversight, operating above industry standards that monitor pilot rosters and schedules.
“We carefully analyse and manage working levels and fatigue levels to ensure the wellbeing of our pilots at all times.”
They added: “Virgin Atlantic underwent a radical transformation as a result of the impact of Covid-19, which was possible due to the collective effort of our amazing people.
“This was fundamental to our survival and our steadfast commitment to returning to sustainable profitability. We’re grateful to them all, including our pilots who play a pivotal role in the success of our operation.
“We currently have an existing pay and lifestyle agreement in place until the end of 2023, that was agreed, developed and supported by Balpa’s pilot representatives within Virgin Atlantic and our pilot community.
“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.
“We look forward engaging in healthy discussion with our pilots on the topics that matter to all of us.”
A Balpa spokesperson said: “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.
“In a recent indicative ballot to gauge the depth of feeling about this issue, 96% voted in favour of being formally balloted for discontinuous strike action. This was based on a turnout of 81% of our members, giving Balpa an overwhelming mandate to pursue this dispute.
“It’s clear Virgin Atlantic pilots feel very strongly about this. Balpa prefers to address matters constructively through negotiation and industrial compromise and will only countenance industrial action as a last resort.
“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.”