BA makes fresh offer to Unite

The offer includes a ‘top-up payment’ to guarantee existing crew will retain route allowances when new recruits begin flying in autumn, and a proposal to increase staff numbers on some flights.

It means all crew would receive a guaranteed minimum amount of variable pay irrespective of the routes they fly, says a BA statement.

The offer also includes two years worth of guaranteed basic salary rises from February 2011 in addition to annual incremental pay increases.

BA has also withdrawn its proposal to use a reduction in crew allowances to fund an increase staff numbers on some flights.

BA head of cabin crew Bill Francis said: "We have changed our offer in line with feedback we have received from crew and we genuinely believe that it can end this dispute, which is what the vast majority of our crew and customers want."