BA, Pilots Agree to Settle OpenSkies Dispute in Mediation

After voting to strike because they say British Airways intends to staff its OpenSkies subsidiary with lower-paid pilots recruited from outside the union, British Airways pilots took a more conciliatory tone today, agreeing to enter mediation over pay and benefits.

OpenSkies is a transatlantic service scheduled to launch in June with a New York-Paris route.

In a statement announcing its intention to strike, the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), which represents BA pilots, said it “supports the growth of BA and the launch of the OpenSkies service but opposes BA’s intention to use lower-paid pilots recruited from outside.”

BA pilots voted 86 percent in favor of strike earlier today. But hours later, the airline and its pilots agreed to a reach a settlement via mediation through an independent third party.

OpenSkies intends to carry BA’s code on its New York-Paris flights, in addition to its own code. The subsidiary plans to do the same thing on future routes. OpenSkies aims to expand transatlantic service from U.S. points to Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan.