Heathrow Airport strike talks adjourned
Crucial talks aimed at averting strikes by thousands of workers at Heathrow Airport have adjourned and will resume on Sunday.
The airport has already cancelled 172 flights on Monday and Tuesday because of a planned 48-hour stoppage by members of Unite.
Union leaders met with Heathrow management under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas until 11pm on Friday and all day on Saturday.
Industrial action is planned for 5th & 6th August. We want you to be as prepared as possible ahead of your flight, as some passenger journeys will be affected.
If you are travelling on these dates, please thoroughly read our industrial action webpage at https://t.co/aKJSrFvvVC. pic.twitter.com/WLBnxULSYw
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) August 2, 2019
Unite’s members voted by almost 9-1 to reject a pay offer Heathrow said was worth 7.3% over two-and-a-half years.
An airport spokesman said: “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 rebook 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.”
More strikes are planned on August 23 and 24 if the dispute is not resolved.