British Airways pilots have voted to accept an agreement to end a dispute over pay which resulted in the first walkout by pilots in the airline's history, according to the British Airline Pilots' Association.

Members of the union employed by the company, which is ownedby International Consolidated Airlines and in its 100th year, voted by nearly nine to one to accept the final agreement,the union said.

The two parties last month reached a preliminary deal over pay and conditions, which had to be approved by the union's 4,000 British pilots.

Pilots at the airline went on strike for 48 hours in September, grounding 1,700 flights. BA said that the strikes had cost it €137 million.

We welcome this news, which is a good result for our customers, our people, and our business," BA said in a statement.