Whatever it was it looks they have all been sworn to secrecy! It's suddenly gone very quiet on here.

MrB

Nothing to report yet. The ballot on the pay deal ends this week. Last week saw the closure of the ballot for a new company council. I wouldn't put money on the outcome of either.

So what was the deal?

Who knows, but what skip.rat said above might prove prescient given the £18.5 million profit VA posted this morning...

2nd UPDATE: Virgin Atlantic Swings To Profit, Plans To Modernize Cabins - WSJ.com

Looks like BALPA have been turned over yet again.

True, but to be fair, 18.5m is hardly breaking any records.

Agreed 18.5M is not massive in the big scheme of things but it would have been enough to appease the pilots pay request.

I agree with Stormin Norman, BALPA have either once again wimped out or again acted like muppets and believed everything that the Company(s) tell them. I could list countless examples of where BALPA do some chest beating and then run a mile at the first signs of confrontation/industrial action. How many times have they gone through companies accounts and agreed with the management that the Company can't afford to make the necessary pay increases, only to find a year later that the CEO & top management walk away with golden handshakes or pay increases of their own?

The two reasons I remain a BALPA member was to better/maintain my T&C's despite the Union now seeming to be doing a good job at pi$$ing that away and also for the forum regarding Company news. I have now come to the conclusion that both of these are not worth my 1%. I wonder how many others, especially Virgin pilots will now suddenly withdraw their subscriptions?

BALPA staff, if you read this you should be ashamed of yourselves. Many of the airlines once considered you a thorn in their side, now though you are only a joke.

If BA pilots are happy, BALPA is happy - (British Airways Line Pilots Association) - Simples!

Then perhaps you'd like to explain why the Virgin Company Council are happy, given that none of them work for BA?

Surely it is the VACC who have wasted your 97% vote in favour of strike action. Hopefully they have explained their recommendation fully to you. Although judging by the rather lukewarm, apathetic acceptance of the deal, I would guess not.

I feel sorry for your new VACC, as they have an awful lot of work to do to gain the support and trust of the members.

I do hope your management fulfill their side of the bargain, but I guess none of you will hold your breath.

The fact is that more than half of Virgin pilots accepted the deal, whatever that deal is as no one seems to know! Nonetheless, the CC were faced with a tricky situation. An £18.5m profit is really wafer-thin and had they called a strike the company would have made a loss. Virgin is now a small fish in a big pond - they could yet go the way of Laker. The CC know this and recognise the importance of not shooting the golden goose. That strikes me as solid judgement, and from where I sit BALPA were not turned over - they took the money and ran away at the right time.

From Heathrow Skyport, 13th August 2011:

Virgin pilots accept new pay deal
By Salina Patel

PILOTS at Virgin Atlantic have accepted an improved pay offer removing the threat of any strike action.

Members of the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) voted 63 per cent in favour of the new agreement on an 87 per cent poll which saw workers secure a three year increase in basic salary of 3.5 per cent backdated to January this year, followed by three per cent in 2012 and 2013.

The package deal also included other offers such as 'flying pay' which is a top-up on pay for flying hours, a profit share scheme financially rewarding pilots when the company makes a profit, and a programme to review pilot lifestyle focused on modifying rosters, schedules and travel policies.

Jim McAuslan, BALPA's general secretary said: "Virgin Atlantic pilots voted overwhelmingly for strike action (97 per cent on a 94 per cent poll) in June but given some improvement on pay, against very tough trading conditions, and commitments to improve lifestyle, they have now decided to settle this pay round with the future in mind.

"Now we need to work together - management and association - to get Virgin back to the airline it once was."

A Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman, said: "We are very pleased that our pilots have accepted our pay offer as we value their commitment and expertise enormously.

"The offer that has been agreed is both fair and affordable and the company would like to thank our pilots' representatives for gaining a good understanding of the wider economic climate and commending the pay award."

The union now wants to close the gap between management and pilots' working relations in light of the fact Virgin came close to its first ever industrial action from staff.

In a letter to Sir Richard Branson, Mr McAuslan highlighted that although long service pilots recalled Virgin being fuelled by passion, fun, and unbounded enthusiasm that feeling was not the 'DNA' of today.

He also said pilots needed to hear less about how things used to be and more about how they ought to be; and that management did "too much listening and not enough hearing".

Mr McAuslan added: "There are lessons for us all in this dispute and BALPA's board will be tabling ideas on how we can be robust, professional and business-like in our dealings and we will be looking to engage with progressive employers in this way."

Update
 

Could anyone shed some light on what exactly this new pay deal includes?

Nothing. There's supposed to be a new relationship but we've still got the guy with the biggest ego in the company in charge of Operations. We had hoped he'd go but he's still clinging on.
Most of us are resigned to the fact that this company will never be what it once was.
Pity really.