LONDON (AP) — British Airways PLC’s cabin crew voted by a 3-1 margin to accept a deal on pay, pensions and other employment issues, the union said yesterday, resolving a dispute that led to a strike threat earlier this year.The Transport and General Workers Union said the vote means 11,000 cabin crew members have endorsed an agreement worth an 18.75 percent increase in pay for pension purposes and accepted changes to help deal with the $2.1 billion ($4.2 billion) deficit in the airline’s pension plan.

“This is a good result for our members, BA and the travelling public,” said Jack Dromey, T&G deputy general secretary. “We welcome the direct involvement cabin crew representatives will now have with BA chief executive Willie Walsh.”

Cabin crew had voted for strike action earlier this year over a number of issues from pay and pensions, sickness absence policy and staffing levels. They called off the strikes, but it still proved costly for the airline because of flights it had cancelled in anticipation of the walkout.

British Airways shares rose less than one percent to close at 516.50 pence ($10.27) on the London Stock Exchange.