media speculation - easyJet pilots to strike?
Pilots at easyJet are threatening to take strike action, the Evening Standard has learned.
Growing numbers of pilots at the company are calling for industrial action, claiming the airline, founded by Greek millionaire Stelios Haji-Ioannou, is paying them less than their peers working for go - the rival low-cost operator recently bought by easyJet.
The Evening Standard has learned that at a meeting this week, a number of easyJet pilots in the British Airline Pilots' Association urged a vote for a strike if the company failed to improve its pay rise offer of 2.3 per cent for captains and 1.3 per cent for first officers.
On average, easyJet pays captains base salaries of £60,000 and first officers £38,000.
An easyJet spokesman said that while its pay scales were lower than starting salaries at go, the overall package was almost identical when pension contributions, food and other elements were considered.