Former British Airways employee Tess De Mello is pursuing an appeal after an employment tribunal ruled against her claim of unfair dismissal following her exit in 2020, when BA issued mass redundancies during the pandemic.
De Mello, who lost a 30-year career in the fire and rehire upheaval that convulsed the airline, said she felt shame after being cast aside. Her case has become a touchstone for the thousands of aviation workers who lost their jobs in the industry's darkest hour, and her determination to keep fighting has won her admirers well beyond the sector.
She also claims she and colleagues were underpaid on holiday entitlements, a case that could set a precedent for cabin crew across the aviation industry. If she succeeds, the financial implications for airlines could be substantial, and the ruling could change how holiday pay is calculated for flying staff for years to come.
The pandemic redundancies at BA were among the most controversial in British corporate history. The airline used the crisis to push through sweeping changes to terms and conditions, prompting accusations of fire and rehire, a furious response from unions and condemnation from MPs who accused the carrier of treating loyal staff appallingly.
De Mello's appeal keeps the spotlight on how the airline treated its longest-serving staff. Thirty years of service ended, she says, in humiliation rather than gratitude, and she is determined to have the courts examine whether that was lawful. The employment tribunal's ruling against her was a bitter blow, but she has refused to accept it as the final word.
Whatever the outcome, her fight has already ensured that the human cost of the industry's restructuring is not forgotten. For cabin crew watching closely, the holiday pay claim in particular could change the terms of employment across the sector, making her appeal one of the most consequential employment cases in aviation.
Employment lawyers say fire and rehire remains one of the most contentious areas of UK labour law, with the government's promised reforms still working their way through Parliament. De Mello's case is being watched as a test of how the tribunals handle pandemic-era dismissals, and her holiday pay claim could have even wider implications. Cabin crew have long argued that their complex pay structures mean they are systematically underpaid for leave. A ruling in her favour could trigger claims across the industry, making her appeal one of the most consequential employment cases in aviation.