Pilots of British airliners made a significant move Friday towards a decision to boycott countries which shelter hijackers. A ballot at the headquarters of the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) showed that most of the 5000 members were in favor of refusing to fly to such countries. The pilots supported this line of action rather than short-term strikes in protest against lack of international action against air piracy.
Capt. Laurie Taylor, chairman of BALPA, announced that he was flying yesterday to Las Vegas to meet Capt. Jim O’Donnell, president of the American Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) whose annual conference opens there on Monday.
Air piracy and measures to combat it are to be discussed at a meeting in Mexico early next month of the International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA). With BALPA and ALPA leading a block of 25,000 pilots, the international body would be virtually bound to support a decision.
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