Ex-BA Crew Member Challenges Holiday Pay Tribunal Decision
A former British Airways cabin crew member, Tess De Mello, is appealing an employment tribunal ruling after losing her job of 30 years during pandemic restructuring. The case also examines how holiday pay should be calculated for part-year shift workers in aviation. A successful appeal could lead to broader claims across the sector, according to the Unite union.
De Mello spent three decades as BA cabin crew before pandemic-era restructuring ended her role. BA sent redundancy notices to almost all 42,000 employees in 2020, with around 10,000 permanent departures. Unite told a parliamentary committee that remaining staff faced forced pay reductions and demotions; MPs later condemned the handling.
At a Reading employment tribunal last year, Judge Laurie Anstis rejected unfair dismissal claims from De Mello and another former colleague. Both are appealing. The case also asks how holiday pay should be figured for aviation workers whose schedules use full-day blocks followed by days off, with claimants comparing them to teachers as part-year employees.
If the appeal succeeds, it could reshape holiday pay for aviation crew and other part-year shift workers, potentially extending full-time-equivalent entitlements to more staff. Airlines may face retroactive claims and higher labor costs, which could influence hiring, scheduling, or ticket prices. Unions and employment lawyers may use the outcome to pursue similar cases, while employers could review contracts and workforce models. The case may also affect how workers in sectors with block schedules understand their rights after restructuring.