BA strike news – live: Latest updates as almost all flights cancelled in second day of pilot walkout

The walkout is the biggest strike in the airline's history

Heathrow Terminal 5 almost empty as British Airways pilots strike

British Airways pilots that are members of the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) have walked out for the second day in a 48-hour strike over pay.

It's the biggest walkout in the airline's history, with almost all flights cancelled from Heathrow and Gatwick. Flights from London City are unaffected.

British Airways has warned passengers not to show up at the airport if their flight is cancelled.

Follow below for live updates

Key Points

• All outbound flights cancelled today
• Passengers warned not to travel to the airport if their flight is cancelled
• Heathrow Terminal 5 has been described as a 'ghost town'

[10 September 2019 13:54 · helen.coffey]

British Airways CEO Alex Cruz has been criticised for increasing his own salary by £530,000 while telling pilots to “return to the negotiating table” in the ongoing dispute over pay. Cruz was asked how could justify a pay increase last year from £830,000 to £1.36m on Good Morning Britain.

[10 September 2019 14:14 · Cathy Adams]

[10 September 2019 14:27 · Cathy Adams]

With just 17 days to go before the next planned pilots’ strike, BA still says: "If you are travelling on or around 27 September, we’ll be in contact in the next few weeks."

(The Independent has suggested the airline updates its statement.)

Simon Calder, travel correspondent, has tweeted: “I expect cancellation emails to go out tomorrow. Hope I'm wrong.”

[10 September 2019 14:29 · helen.coffey]

An anonymous British Airways pilot has shared why they chose to participate in today’s strike action, despite the airline's proposed pay rise of 11.5 per cent over three years, in The Guardian.

They wrote:

In the past 10 or 20 years, pilot workloads have significantly increased – as is the case across much of the economy – and at the same time our pay and pensions have been significantly reduced.

As the industry has reinvented its former state-run companies into private enterprises we’ve faced below-market pay rises and a hollowing out of pension provision. During all of this process we’ve been told the increased productivity was necessary to ensure our future and create sufficient profit to be able to reinvest.

We accepted these sacrifices with the promise that, when they bore fruit, and profit was available, we would then share in that success.

[10 September 2019 15:32 · Cathy Adams]

With no British Airways planes in the air, aircraft are parked around the world – including at Los Angeles airport.

[10 September 2019 16:15 · Cathy Adams]

Flights are set to depart as normal tomorrow.

The first flights of the day from Heathrow Terminal 5 are currently showing as all being on time – except the 06.20 to Madrid, which has been cancelled.

[10 September 2019 16:44 · Cathy Adams]

There is another one-day pilots' strike planned for 27 September.

If you're due to fly that day, BA should let you know imminently whether your flight is impacted.

The airline is currently telling customers on Twitter to make sure their contact details are up to date in the "Manage My Booking" section of the website.

[10 September 2019 16:49 · Cathy Adams]

For the first time since the volcanic ash cloud in 2011, Heathrow Terminal 5 is completely empty.

[10 September 2019 17:12 · Cathy Adams]

The pilots' union, Balpa, has called on BA to return to negotiations with something positive to resolve this dispute and try to prevent the next planned stoppage on 27 September.

It says that if BA refuse "meaningful negotiations", further strike dates will be considered by the Balpa national executive team.

Balpa general secretary, Brian Strutton, said:

Surely any reasonable employer would listen to such a clear message, stop threatening and bullying, and start working towards finding a solution.

[10 September 2019 17:39 · Cathy Adams]

Some people are using the strikes to get some extra sightseeing in: