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Heathrow cancels 172 flights next week as staff prepare to strike

Sat, 03 Aug 2019

Heathrow Airport will cancel 172 flights on Monday and Tuesday after thousands of workers overwhelmingly rejected a revised pay offer.

Unite said 88% of its 4,000 union members - who include security guards, firefighters and engineers - voted to refuse the deal, meaning the parties will head to last-ditch pay dispute talks in an effort to avert a strike.

A two-day strike is set to start on Monday with further industrial action planned for 48 hours from 23 August.

A Heathrow spokesman said: "We are disappointed that Unite has rejected the latest pay offer and will continue to seek an agreement at Acas.

"Unite is proceeding with its unnecessary strike action on 5 and 6 August, and we regret that passengers looking to get away on well-earned breaks will be impacted by this.

"We have activated contingency plans which will keep the airport open and safe on both strike days. We expect security queue times to be slightly longer than normal and advise passengers to check our website for detailed information on how to prepare for their flights and when to arrive at the airport.

"As part of our plans, we are working with airlines to proactively consolidate flights and re-book passengers onto alternative services in advance.

"We also advise passengers to contact their airlines for the latest information, as well as follow our Twitter and Facebook accounts for further updates."

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