London—April 25, 2026, 22:04 BST
A 79-page pay deal is up for a vote by British Airways pilots next week, renewing the risk of strike threats right ahead of the airline’s critical summer rush. At the same time, new figures for BA pilot salaries and Chief Executive Sean Doyle’s 2026 pay have surfaced, spotlighting the company’s pay practices.
The timing is critical, given British Airways isn’t under financial stress here. Parent company IAG logged 2025 revenue at 33.21 billion euros and an operating profit before exceptional items of 5.02 billion euros. It’s also planning to return 1.5 billion euros in excess cash, starting off with a 500 million euro share buyback.
Doyle informed BA employees that the airline posted an operating profit of 2.23 billion pounds for 2025—a rise of 182 million pounds compared to 2024. That pushed the operating margin to 15.2%. Since operating margin captures profit as a portion of revenue, management gains leverage for negotiations, though unions are quick to point out the improved numbers as grounds for staff to benefit from the turnaround.
BA first officers in 2026 will see base salaries land anywhere between 78,000 and 115,000 pounds, estimates from Aviation A2Z show. Factor in allowances, overtime and sector pay, and total annual compensation typically stretches from 105,000 up to 155,000 pounds. Captain base pay is higher, at 145,000 to 205,000 pounds, with total annual pay for senior and long-haul pilots running from 190,000 to 275,000 pounds, according to the same source.
The outlet put Doyle’s 2026 pay package somewhere between 4.4 million and 5.6 million pounds, factoring in salary, bonus, share awards, perks, and pension. The report also pointed out BA’s CEO compensation figures aren’t broken out like those at standalone public companies, since British Airways operates under IAG.
Doyle’s realised pay hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last year, flagged that he offloaded 650,000 IAG shares, pulling in roughly 2.1 million pounds. The sale was part of a 2022 long-term incentive plan, which IAG called standard procedure.
IAG Chief Executive Luis Gallego, in the group’s results release, called out “sector-leading operational performance” as fueling “world-class financial results,” highlighting a 22.4% rise in adjusted earnings per share. Gallego’s words, though pitched to investors, now loom large over the labour negotiations as well.
The pilot deal at the center of the dispute puts pay up 2.5%, with an increase to 4%, but critics argue it would also trim pension contributions and the Flying Pay Supplement, The Sun reported. That supplement is tied to hours at the controls. BA told the paper it remains focused on making work better for staff. BALPA, meanwhile, said it’s up to members to make the call on backing the proposal.
Fuel is another area drawing heated debate. Back in March, Bloomberg Law highlighted BA’s proposal: a bonus of up to 1% of basic salary if pilots manage to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60,000 tons beyond 2025 goals. The scheme zeroes in on things like how planes taxi and how much extra fuel crews carry.
AlphaValue/Divacons sees BA holding an advantage over Deutsche Lufthansa, pointing to lighter debt and pension obligations—factors that might allow BA greater flexibility on wages or operational hiccups. The firm maintained its “reduce” rating on IAG, leaving the target at 4.93 euros. The Corner
The risk cuts both ways. If the proposal gets shot down, expect positions to stiffen and summer flight plans to take a hit. A yes vote isn’t exactly a slam dunk for peace, though—some pilots still worry it chips away at variable pay or tightens the screws on fuel-related calls. Bottom line, this vote’s turned into something bigger than just numbers on a pay sheet.
The snag for BA: you can spin the numbers either way. Management emphasizes soaring pilot pay, pricey aircraft, pressure on fuel, plus emissions targets. Pilots, on the other hand, see record profits, fat returns for shareholders, executives pocketing big awards—and question why the new offer should feel so squeezed.
