Heathrow strike to disrupt travel plans as World Cup kicks off

Passengers flying to and from London Heathrow on Qatar Airways and other leading airlines face “disruption, delays and cancellations to flights” due to a strike by ground handling staff from 18 to 21 November, the Unite union has said.

More than 700 staff working for Dnata and Menzies who are members of Unite will walk out for three days in a pay dispute.

The timing coincides with the start of the World Cup in Qatar. The union says it will also affect Singapore Airlines and Emirates.

Unite said: “The strike action will begin in the early hours of Friday 18 November and it will be completed in the early hours of Monday 21 November.

“It will lead to disruption, cancellations and delays at Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4. The strike action will particularly affect Qatar Airways, which has scheduled an additional 10 flights a week during the World Cup.”

The workers are employed on contracts for the majority of airlines that operate from Heathrow’s terminals 2, 3 and 4. They undertake a variety of roles including ground-handling, airside transport and cargo.

Unite regional officer Kevin Hall said: “Strike action will inevitably cause severe disruption and delays throughout Heathrow, with travellers to the World Cup particularly affected. However, this dispute is entirely of Dnata and Menzies own making. They have had every opportunity to make a fair pay offer but have chosen not to do so.”

Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Our members at Dnata and Menzies undertake highly challenging roles and are simply seeking a decent pay rise.

“Both companies are highly profitable and can fully afford to make a fair pay increase. The owners and directors are simply lining their own pockets rather than paying their workers fairly.”

The union said Dnata has offered its workers a five per cent increase, while the offers for Menzies workers vary between two and six per cent.

Inflation is currently running at 10.1 per cent.

Alex Doisneau, managing director of Dnata UK airport operations, said: “It is disappointing that Unite plans to progress with this costly industrial action, despite our offer to staff of an award which, with previous increases, amounts to a pay rise of 15.5 per cent (20.2 per cent for HGV drivers) since December 2021.

“This is in line with inflation and amongst the best in the industry.

“We would like to reassure our customers, partners and passengers that we are implementing contingency plans to minimise disruption to our operations.

“Our offer has been overwhelmingly accepted by other staff at the airport and we remain committed to reaching a meaningful and mutually acceptable agreement for all parties.”

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “We are aware of proposed industrial action from Dnata and Menzies colleagues at Heathrow, and we are in discussions with our airline partners on what contingency plans they can implement to support their ground handling should the strike go ahead. Our priority is to ensure passengers are not disrupted by airline ground handler shortages.“

The Independent has also asked Menzies and the affected airlines for a response.

Passengers whose flights are disrupted are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible under European air passengers’ rights rules.

The dispute will not affect British Airways, which is mainly based at Heathrow Terminal 5.