The strike by KLM cabin crew scheduled for Monday was called off at the weekend after the unions and the airline reached agreement over a new collective labour agreement.

Cabin crew will now receive a 3.5% salary increase in three phases, and the reduction in staff on long-haul flights has been cancelled, following the last ditch talks.

However, action is not ruled out in the future at Air France KLM,  Trouw reported on Monday. Pilots at Air France are due to strike this coming Thursday after industrial action was called for by three unions. The Dutch pilots’ union VNV is also threatening future action if conditions in their new pay deal are not improved considerably.

The Telegraaf says pilots are ‘furious’ over the ‘gift’ KLM had given its cabin staff. The implication is that terms were so generous that it would be almost impossible to meet pilots’ demands and remain profitable at the same time.

Two weeks ago the VNV hinted at the possibility of a pilots’ strike.  ‘After all, a plane cannot take off without a pilot,’ it said.

KLM wants a long-term pay deal to create peace on the labour front. But the VNV is demanding a short-term agreement so that ongoing issues can first be resolved. The union argues KLM must compensate for unhonoured agreements in hard euros and is threatening action if KLM does not make these concessions.