Heathrow Airport baggage handler strike suspended after pay offer

Strike action by baggage handlers at Heathrow Airport has been postponed following a new pay offer.

More than 160 baggage handlers belonging to the Unite union were due to walk out from 8 to 10 April.

They had voted in favour of the action after being told their pay would be frozen despite employer Vanderlande Industries seeing revenue grow in 2021.

Unite said the strike was "on hold" while employees ballot for a new pay offer.

The strike would have affected the whole baggage handling system at the airport and caused delays to passengers at every terminal.

Vanderlande Industries claims the pay freeze is necessary as Heathrow Airport was responsible for the cost of increasing wages.

There are no details on the new pay offer, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Unite regional officer Lindsey Olliver said: "Over the next two weeks, Unite will be balloting our members on whether it meets their aspirations."

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We are pleased to hear that industrial action planned for this weekend has been postponed.

"We will continue to liaise with airport partners on contingency plans for the airport's operations, should the action be rescheduled at a future date."

Passengers have reported long queues at Heathrow Airport in recent weeks.

Over the weekend, travellers complained of queueing on an air bridge for more than an hour while waiting to board their flight.

Many have reported waiting for hours to get through passport control.

Similarly, there were many reports of passengers arriving in the country waiting for hours to get through passport control.

Heathrow Airport is in the middle of a huge recruitment campaign in order to prepare for the high number of travellers expected this summer.

The airline industry was badly damaged during the pandemic, with Heathrow airport calling 2021 the "worst year in its history".

It also said it saw a slow start to 2022 as a result of the Omicron variant and remaining travel restrictions.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]