Heathrow Airport passengers warned of doable disruption as safety employees start new strikes

Heathrow travellers are being warned they might face disruption as safety officers start a brand new collection of strikes immediately.

Staff who’re members of the Unite union will stroll out from 4-6 May, with different strikes deliberate for 9-10 May and 25-27 May.

Heathrow bosses are advising folks to verify their flight standing earlier than going to the airport.

Passengers will solely have the ability to carry two carry-on objects via safety on strike days – and Heathrow is reminding prospects that purses and laptop computer baggage depend as a chunk of hand baggage.

Checked baggage allowance is just not affected.

The airport can also be asking travellers to reach no sooner than two hours earlier than short-haul flights and three hours for long-haul flights.

“We anticipate that the airport will be busy during this period, and additional ‘Here to Help’ teams are available to assist passengers,” Heathrow mentioned.

About 1,400 safety employees on the London airport are Unite members and the union claims the walk-out will trigger “May mayhem”.

Heathrow safety employees staged a related collection of strikes at Easter.

The airport mentioned operations continued “smoothly” throughout that interval – and that it is assured the brand new industrial motion will not disrupt folks utilizing Heathrow within the construct as much as the coronation.

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King mentioned the strikes have been “a direct result of Heathrow’s stubborn refusal to make an offer that meets our members’ expectations”.

“Our members have been crystal clear they are seeking a substantial permanent increase in pay.

“A small one off lump sum fee won’t alleviate the monetary pressures our members are going through each day,” said Mr King.

An average security officer at Heathrow gets paid £30,000, according to Unite, which said there had been a 24% real-terms pay cut since 2017.

Heathrow said last month that it had offered workers a 10% increase and a one-off £1,150 since January – but claimed the union failed to put the revised offer to members.

Edinburgh Airport may additionally face disruption this summer time, with about 275 employees to be balloted by Unite over happening strike.

It mentioned its members had rejected an inferior pay supply to 1 made to employees at Gatwick; 11% plus a £1,000 one-off fee, in contrast with 12% and £1,500 on the Sussex airport.