UK airport strike dates: How will passengers be affected at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick?

Holidaymakers are set to face a summer of travel chaos with strikes threatening to cripple some of the UK's major airports.

Staff at Heathrow and Stansted will walkout over pay disputes from the start of the holiday season on Thursday, July 25.

Meanwhile workers at Gatwick are currently voting whether to strike or not in a move that would hit security gates and cleaning services.

And BA pilots are being balloted in yet another battle over pay with any industrial action likely to cause chaos at airports around the country.

Here’s everything you need to know so far about the airport strikes this summer.

Heathrow

Unite the Union announced a major walkout of 4,000 airport staff at the UK’s biggest airport.

It described the action as "a move that could potentially shut down the airport".

Heathrow Airport has said it is "disappointed" at the strike action and "will be implementing contingency plans that will ensure the airport remains open and operating safely throughout".

Staff planning to strike includes security guards, engineers, passenger service operatives and passenger service drivers.

The workers will leave their posts on August 5 and August 6. They will also strike on August 23 and August 24.

Workers had planned to walkout on July 26 and 27, but the planned industrial action has now been suspended while workers vote on a new pay offer.

Unite regional coordinating officer Wayne King said: “There is deepening anger over pay among workers who are essential to the smooth running of Heathrow Airport.

“They are fed up of being expected to accept crumbs while the chief executive pockets an eye popping 103 per cent rise in his pay package and shareholders are handed dividends of over £2 billion in the last two years alone."

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said they will be implementing contingency plans to ensure the airport remains open and operating safely throughout the coordinated action.

“We will be working alongside our airline partners to minimise disruption caused to passengers as they look towards their well-deserved summer holidays," they said.

“We have proposed a progressive pay package giving at least a 4.6 per cent pay rise to over 70 per cent of our frontline colleagues.

“The total package offered is above RPI and is specifically designed to boost the wages of lower paid colleagues.

“We have invited our union colleagues back to the table and urge them to continue working with us to reach an agreement.”

Stansted Airport

EasyJet staff at Stansted have also announced a 17-day strike after a long-running pay dispute.

Unite said the industrial action will cause “severe disruption to thousands of easyJet passengers”.

It said 43 passenger service agents employed by Stobart Aviation Services Limited will stage a walk-out on July 25 to 29, from August 2 to 5, from August 9 to 12, from August 16 to August 19 and August 23 to August 27.

Unite regional officer Mark Barter said: “There is no getting away from it; these 17 days of strike action will cause severe disruption to thousands of easyJet passengers using Stansted for their summer holidays.

“A major bone of contention is that workers employed by other companies at Stansted are being paid up to 20 per cent more for doing the same job.

An EasyJet spokesman has reportedly said they are urging Stobart Aviation and Unite to reach a suitable solution as soon as possible.

Gatwick Airport

No strikes have yet to be announced at Gatwick so those travelling through the airport may yet escape summer travel chaos.

However, workers from two separate companies are to begin balloting for industrial action over pay rates.

Unite is conducting a ballot of over 100 members working for ICTS as security staff as well as those by ISS, who help with cleaning services, moving luggage rearranging furniture.

The union's regional officer Jamie Major said: “It is astonishing that workers who undertake such crucial safety critical work as scanning luggage, are paid so little for the work they do.

“If strikes go ahead then passengers will inevitably experience delays and a poorer service but this is in the hands of the contractors and Gatwick airport.”

Staff have until July 26 to return their votes.

British Airways

Again no industrial action has been officially organised but pilots working for BA are reportedly being balloted by the British Airline Pilots’ Association over pay disputes.

Balpa said that conciliation talks with the carrier have broken down, prompting strikes over the summer to become more likely, according to The Independent.

Speaking to the publication, Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton, called the development “bitterly disappointing” and added that talks are “still no further forward”.

“Balpa tabled options for resolution but BA was not prepared to negotiate so there was no progress at all and no point continuing.

“Until BA changes its attitude there is little prospect of talks resuming.”

A spokesperson for British Airways also said: “We are disappointed that Balpa has walked away from conciliation with Acas this evening.

“We remain open and flexible to find a solution to protect hard-working families looking forward to their summer breaks.”

Balpa 4,000 of its members have voted in favour of industrial action.