Air Handler Strike Starts The World Cup
A ground handler strike at London Heathrow has been set for later this month, which may affect Qatar flights ahead of the World Cup.
The Unite union, responsible for the recent and ongoing industrial action at Liverpool and Felixstowe ports, warned that a strike running from November 18th to November 21st will cause ‘disruption, cancellation and delays’ to flights through Heathrow’s main terminals.
Ground handlers at dnata and Menzies will take part in a three day walkout over a pay dispute. This action is expected to affect Qatar Airways in particular, since the airline has scheduled an additional 10 flights per week during the World Cup.
The industrial action is planned to overlap with the start of the competition on November 20th, with both England and Wales playing their first games in the middle of the dispute.
If the strike goes ahead it will likely impact many other airlines, including Virgin, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates.
The union feel that recent pay rises on offer from the two firms do not cover the high levels of inflation. Whereby, the companies believe the demands from the union do not reflect the challenging economic environment we all find ourselves in.
Naturally, if a resolution is not found the strike will also impact air freight operations, which means we will be monitoring the situation closely. Should you wish to discuss the above, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Atlantic Pacific team.
