Heathrow passengers still face cargo strike disruptions

Flights in and out of Heathrow airport could be affected by industrial action this week.

Travel Insurance News - 25/06/2012

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Flights in and out of Heathrow airport could be affected by industrial action this week.

Unions representing cargo workers employed at the west London gateway said at the weekend that Swissport Cargo Services employees would begin striking on Wednesday morning amid an ongoing dispute over pay.

Unite union officials said that the walkout, which is set to begin at 6:30am and will last through 6:29am on Saturday, could “severely” disrupt commercial passenger flights. The hardest hit carriers would be Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and Singapore Airlines, according to the organisation, which represents some 275 Swissport Cargo Services employees.

But a spokesman for the British Airports Authority (BAA), Heathrow’s operating firm, said to reporters that the strikes were not expected to affect any Heathrow passengers. The comments came despite union heads saying a “knock-on-effect” was likely in the wake of delays caused to major Asia-based airlines.

The news follows a similar walkout staged by Swissport staff members at Stansted airport last moth that failed to cause major disruptions after the BAA enacted contingency plans in anticipation of the strike.

Meanwhile, Unite said a second strike has been scheduled at Heathrow airport from early morning on 4 July to the morning of 7 July.

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