Security Strikes Threaten Heathrow Flights
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London Heathrow airport will face problems this summer. The Unite union says that passengers will have issues with delays and cancellations. A pay argument has caused the union to go on strike. Over 2,000 security workers will not work for 31 days between June and August.
The UK's busiest airport will experience a strike during peak family travel periods. This includes the start of summer holidays in England and Wales, as well as the August bank holiday weekend.
The spokesperson for Heathrow said they will do their best to lessen the effect of the strike for travelers. This will help people enjoy their summer vacations as much as possible.
What will happen to your travel plans this summer? Here are some important questions and answers for you to know.
When Will They Walk Out?
2,000 security officers at Heathrow Airport Ltd will strike for 31 days from June to August. They are part of Unite union who organized the strikes.
The workers work at Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5. They are in charge of security searches. They also work at checkpoints on the airfield. Their unit is called "Campus".
Different airlines use different terminals at the airport. Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines use Terminal 3. But British Airways mostly uses Terminal 5.
How Will It Impact Travelers?
Unite reports that Terminal 3 staff going on strike will affect many airlines during the summer. There may be delays, disruptions or cancellations.
British Airways’ summer schedule will be greatly impacted by the widespread strikes taking place at Terminal Five.
Terminals 2 and 4 won't have any problems due to the strikes.
Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, reports that 20,163 flights are scheduled to leave Heathrow during the strike. This equals over 4.4 million seats.
Flight Cancelled: What Now?
When your flight is cancelled, you have rights. The airline should take you to your destination as close to your original plan as possible. If they can't, and there's space on a different airline that day, they should book you a seat. You also deserve a hotel room and meals while you wait. It's all part of air passengers' rights.
"Will Heathrow Arrivals Face Strike Impacts?"
The walk-outs can cause outbound flights to be cancelled or delayed.
Can I Switch Flights To Evade A Strike Day?
Right now, no, but maybe airlines will let you change closer to when you leave.
Deja Vu: Have We Been Here Again?
There was a 10-day strike at Terminal 5. It happened from 31 March to Easter Sunday. Travellers' plans were not affected much.
Heathrow told British Airways to cancel one out of every 20 flights. Seats on other flights going out were not allowed to be sold.
No flights were cancelled during the second industrial action in May and the airport functioned perfectly.
The summer strikes are bigger than before. Terminal 3 staff have joined, making it over 2,000 people. This will make things harder for Heathrow's management.
The Advantage Travel Partnership's CEO, Julia Lo Bue-Said, said strikes haven't caused much disruption, but people still worry.
What Causes Disputes?
The workers at Heathrow want better pay. The union leader, Sharon Graham, said that strikes will keep happening until Heathrow makes a fair offer. Unite is serious about this.
We will support our members in this dispute. Our support is unwavering.
HAL messed up their priorities. They're a rich company making huge profits and big bonuses this summer. But their workers can barely afford to survive. They pay their workers much less than other airports. They also plan to give a lot of money to their shareholders.
Heathrow has not paid shareholders any dividends since before the pandemic. Shareholders are not expected to receive a pay-out in this financial year.
Someone from Heathrow said that Unite has tried but failed to disrupt the airport with strikes before, especially on busy days. Heathrow is working on plans to make sure travel won't be affected during future strikes.
Most colleagues don't back Unite's strikes. There's a pay rise on offer if Unite backs off. It beats inflation for the next two years. Colleagues just want a say in the matter.
We will keep talking to Unite. Our aim is to solve this problem.
Can Heathrow Increase Compensation?
It might be less costly to bump up the pay offer by a small percentage than to suffer from the harm caused by the strikes.
The airport bosses will not let small groups of workers control them. They think they made a good offer. The offer is a 10% raise and £1,150 bonus.
The union thinks that the employees at Gatwick and Stansted receive better pay for the same work.
