No, not unrealistic. Entirely explicable when you consider.....
13 Pension Commitments
Employees of BALPA may participate in the BALPA 1973 Pension Scheme which, is a defined benefit scheme for its employees whose assets are held in independent trustee administered funds. Contributions are determined by a qualified actuary on the basis of triennial valuations using the projected unit method, the most recent valuation being at 31 December 2006.
It is not possible to identify each entity's share of the underlying assets and liabilities of the scheme and hence contribution to the scheme are accounted for as if it were a defined contribution scheme , the cost recognised within the statement of Income and Expenditure account being equal to the contributions payable to the scheme for a year.
The pension charge for the year was £614,757 (2006:£526,335).
From 1.7.04 all new joiners to the Pension Scheme pay a contribution of 6% of salary.
From 1.1.06 employees who were members of the Pension Scheme prior to 1.7.04 could opt either to continue paying 8.5% and receive pension indexation of RPI up to 2.5%, or increase their contribution to 9.5% and receive pension indexation of RPI up to 5%.
The Employer's contribution was 26% of salary.
They've been a bit shy in publishing their accounts since '07 for some reason, but if they did, you'd see in an instant, Oldsalt, that BLAPA are broke and desperate for new revenue streams wherever they can find them.
The truth is that BLAPA are like a castrated, three-legged elderly lion. Decrepit, useless, incapable of a kill, and far prefers basking in the memory of glories past.