BA pilots call off planned 24-hour strike, urge 'cool heads'

LONDON (AP) — British Airways pilots have called off a planned 24-hour strike in their dispute with the airline over pay.

Members of the British Airline Pilots' Association were due to walk out on Sept. 27.

The union said Wednesday that a 48-hour strike earlier this month had demonstrated the "anger and resolve of pilots." But general secretary Brian Strutton said "now is the time for cool heads and pragmatism."

The first strike forced the airline to cancel almost all its flights for 48 hours, affecting almost 200,000 travelers.

BA offered pilots an 11.5% pay raise over three years, but differences remain over pilots' demand for a bigger share of the company's profits.

BA's parent company, IAG, made a net profit of 2.9 billion euros ($3.2 billion) last year.