Skip to content
Friday, 6 November 2026Malta edition Enquire Malta-24 Briefing @CDNewsDispatch
Malta's world news feed Local perspective with global outlook
CDE.NEWS The Dispatch
UK

British Airways pilots agree to take 50% pay cut

epa08293891 British Airways passenger aircraft at Heathrow Airport Terminal Five in London, Britain, 14 March 2020. The future of British Airways and other airlines is under threat as global travel is significantly down due to the Coronavirus. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on 13 March said losses of global airliners will likely exceed its earlier estimate of 113 billion US dollars. EPA-EFE/ANDY RAIN

British Airways pilots are going to take a 50% pay cut in April and May as the airline battles to survive the coronavirus crisis.

The drastic measures mean BA’s 4,500 pilots will take two weeks of unpaid leave in each month – but the reduction to their wages will be spread over the next three months.

In a letter to staff seen by Sky News, British Airways said the plan had been agreed with the pilots’ union BALPA to fight “the immediate threat to the business in the face of COVID-19 and the unprecedented impact this is having on the airline”.

More from UK

More →