Summer strikes will not lead to flight cancellations, Heathrow Airport boss says as it reports rise in passenger numbers
- John Holland-Kaye says the airport ‘does not expect cancellations’ due to strikes
- Last month, more than 6.7 million people traveled through Heathrow Airport
The Heathrow Airport boss has said strike action this summer is not expected to lead to flight cancellations.
Security workers at Britain’s busiest airport are planning 29 days of work stoppages almost every weekend between the end of June and August as part of a long-running wage dispute.
Terminal 3 officers are set to strike for the first time, along with their campus security and Terminal 5 counterparts, after turning down a 10.1 per cent salary offer and a £1,150 lump sum payment.
Security guards at London Heathrow are planning 29 days of work stoppages almost every weekend between July and August as part of a long-running pay dispute
Strikes on June 24 and 25 have now been canceled, Unite announced today, after Heathrow made a better wage offer.
The travel hub has already faced union action over the Easter holiday and for eight days in May, but has managed to keep services running with relatively few disruptions.
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s chief executive, said: ‘We have delivered excellent service to passengers, with no cancellations, during eight days of strikes on the busiest days in May, and we do not expect any cancellations due to strikes during the summer. vacation getaway.’
Unite the union claims Heathrow workers have witnessed an average pay cut of 24 per cent in real terms since 2017while security staff are paid between £5,000 and £6,000 less a year than their equivalents at Stansted and Gatwick.
The upcoming strikes will come during some of the busiest travel periods, including the start of school holidays, Eid celebrations and the holiday weekend in late August.
Aviation analysis company Cirium has calculated that more than 20,000 flights will depart from Heathrow on the affected days, equating to about 4.4 million seats.
Heathrow said more than 6.7 million people passed through the airport last month, an increase of 26 per cent from May 2022 and similar to pre-pandemic levels, thanks to the extra holiday in honor of King Charles III’s coronation.
Heathrow also benefited from strong demand for transatlantic flights as airlines shifted capacity to Europe and East Asia, while the recovery in those markets was weaker.
It noted that 1.6 million passengers flew across the North Atlantic in May, while a quarter of everyone traveling between the United States and Europe passed through the airport.
Airlines expect to reap massive demand during the peak season after being hit by a combination of severe Covid-19 restrictions, staff shortages and daily flight caps over the past three summers.
Consumers also seem to show little sign of cutting back on travel abroad, even as inflationary pressures remain elevated.
“Individuals and households continue to prioritize their international vacations over other expenses wherever possible amid the cost-of-living crisis,” said Victoria Scholar, chief investment officer at Interactive Investor.