Heathrow airport will experience a ten-day strike by over 1,400 security officers in the Unite union, beginning on Friday. The strike is likely to affect operations at the airport during the Easter school holidays, with security staff at Terminal 5, which is only used by British Airways, and those who check cargo, participating. Despite eleventh-hour talks on Thursday, no resolution was reached as Unite accuses the airport of implementing a real-terms wage cut. Heathrow offered a 10% pay increase backdated to 1 January, and a lump sum payment of over £1000, but it was rejected by the union.
The strike reduces the number of security staff available to the airport at a time when it is expected to be busy. Heathrow has put contingency plans in place to keep the airport operating, but passengers should be prepared for longer wait times at security. The airport has asked airlines to stop selling tickets and permit customers to change travel dates, with British Airways cancelling 300 flights and Virgin Atlantic introducing a flexible policy.
Heathrow has asked passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport, arrive no earlier than two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before long-haul flights, and be ready for security. To help the flow, passengers will only be allowed to go through security with two items of hand luggage. The airport has also deployed 1,000 extra colleagues and Heathrow’s management team to assist passengers.
The aviation industry is under pressure from the government and industry regulator to avoid the queues, delays and cancellations of last year’s Easter holidays, largely caused by staff shortages. In a leaked letter to businesses seen by the BBC, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport stated that it would be unacceptable for consumers to face the same level of disruption this year. Airlines and airports are confident of having enough staff in place this time around, although external factors such as strikes in France affecting air traffic control could cause issues.
In summary, the ten-day strike by Unite union members at Heathrow airport, beginning on Friday, will affect operations during the Easter school holidays. Passengers may face longer wait times at security, and airlines have cancelled flights or introduced flexible policies. Heathrow has put contingency plans in place and has asked passengers to check their flight status, arrive at the airport no earlier than two to three hours before their flight, and be ready for security. The aviation industry is under pressure to avoid a repeat of last year’s Easter disruptions, with airlines and airports confident of having enough staff in place. However, external factors such as air traffic control strikes in France could still affect operations.
