Thomas Cook and BALPA have agreed to enter binding arbitration to end the dispute between the company and its pilots over pay.

As a result the strike proposed for this Friday, and the three-day strike from 12th October and four-day strike from 19th October, have been called off.

The pilots have already held one 12-hour and one 24-hour strike after the company failed to put forward an acceptable offer and nine days of ACAS talks proved fruitless, with both sides locked in stalemate.

BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said:

“Our members voted to end this dispute by binding arbitration, which Thomas Cook has now agreed to.

“I am pleased that we have been able to find a peaceful way of resolving the pilots’ pay dispute without further disruption to passengers.”