Passengers will have a smooth journey through Heathrow during the half-term getaway. No flights will be cancelled during the upcoming security officer strikes (25 – 27 May).
Heathrow colleagues have delivered excellent passenger service throughout the previous strike periods, with most passengers waiting less than 5 minutes, and almost all waiting less than 10 minutes for security.
Passengers can get the best start to their journeys by arriving at Heathrow no more than 2 hours before short haul flights and 3 hours before long haul flights and preparing for security with their compliant liquids and electronics out of their hand luggage.
As a good employer, Heathrow has been trying to help colleagues through the cost-of-living crisis by proposing a 10% pay increase which has been on the table since 1st January.
The airport has subsequently improved this offer with a £1,150 lump sum and a guarantee of an inflation-linked increase in 2024.
Heathrow knows the majority of colleagues want to accept this offer, but trade unions have refused to allow their members to vote on it.
Heathrow wants to give all its colleagues a hard-earned pay rise. The airport urges trade unions to listen to their members and ballot on the deal.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:
“Passengers should not be concerned about strike action by Unite over the half term getaway. The 15 days of strike action over the Easter peak and Coronation weekends have had no impact on the smooth running of the airport, and passengers have not noticed any difference from the normal great service they expect at Heathrow.”
“These strikes are completely unnecessary. When I speak to colleagues the overwhelming message is that they just want to vote on our pay offer but Unite won’t let them. We made a generous 10% offer early on, to make sure colleagues got a substantial increase when they needed it most. Unite’s delays mean non-union colleagues as well as the majority of colleagues who are union members, who voted to accept our previous offer are losing out.”
