South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA), on Friday served South African Airways with a notice of protected strike action due to issues relating to meal allowance, reports The Citizen.

Presently cabin crew get $131 as a meal allowance but SACCA which has 1,700 members, wants the airline to step up their meal allowance to $170.

According to the report, South African Airways is paying $4m for a six-month strategic turnaround strategy to New York-based aviation consulting company Seabury, while failing to pay cabin crew $170 for meal allowances.

According to SACCA President Zazi Nsibanyoni-Mugambi, the airline has refused to pay its cabin crew an international meal allowance increment since 2011 even after the case was referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.

“They (pilots) cannot fly the aeroplanes without us. “There will be major disturbances if the issues are not resolved before Wednesday. “They pay Seabury R59 million but they cannot give us a meal allowance of R170. “It shows we are not valuable to them.” said SACCA Deputy President Christopher Shabangu.

South African Airways spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the airline had met with labour union representatives in an effort to find a resolution and that another meeting was scheduled for Wednesday in the hope of averting the strike.

If South African Airways and SACCA fail to reach a compromise on Wednesday, there could be major disruption in the airline’s domestic and international flights with immediate effect.