BA pension warns of 6,000 deaths before row resolved

More than 6,000 BA pensioners could die before a legal dispute between the airline and its retirement plan’s trustees is finally settled, according to court documents. The warning was made by trustees of the Airways Pension Scheme, which has been locked in a four-year battle with BA over the awarding of a 0.2% discretionary increase to thousands of retired airline workers. The High Court ruled last month that the trustees’ decision to award the extra payment to boost pensioner incomes, which was to have been paid in December 2013, was valid. But the High Court last week granted BA leave to appeal against the decision. In the court filing opposing BA’s appeal claim, the trustees said 3,833 members had already died between December 2013, when BA initiated legal action, and May 19 this year. This included 2,318 pensioners and 1,515 dependants of deceased members receiving pension benefits. The trustees estimate a further 2,330 deaths could occur if an appeal by BA was to stretch a further two years. The High Court allowed BA to appeal on two technical points. The trustees now estimate the Court of Appeal will take 18 months, and not two years, to hand down its decision.<br/>