Pilots union says ‘Fat Cat’ bonuses for airline bosses are an insult to staff losing jobs and taking pay cuts  

Release date: 04/09/2020

The British Airline Pilots Association has criticised the payment of huge bonuses to airline bosses at a time when many pilots and staff are bearing the financial brunt of COVID-19 in the shape of redundancies, furlough and huge insecurity. 
 
It comes as an influential investor advisory firm has urged Ryanair shareholders to oppose boss Michael O’Leary’s proposed 458,000 euro ($540,600) annual bonus, in a non-binding vote later this month.
 
Criticism of O’Leary’s package follows the Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) recommendation against British Airways owner IAG’s 883,000 pound ($1.17 million) send-off for retiring CEO Willie Walsh.
 
BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton said:
 
“It beggars belief that airline bosses can shamelessly take government aid, slash jobs and then trouser huge bonuses.
 
“COVID-19 has hit aviation hard and unprecedented measures have been agreed by BALPA and the other unions to try and help companies survive.
 
“Staff have done their bit so it’s a real slap in the face to see the bosses queuing up with their snouts in the trough.”