Heathrow ‘back to its best’ says boss – but strike threat looms over Easter

Britain’s busiest airport ‘guilty of gross hypocrisy’ over workers’ pay says Unite

(REUTERS)

Heathrow Airport has celebrated its busiest January since before the pandemic – but the revival in passenger numbers comes as Britain’s key hub faces the threat of Easter strike action.

It handled over 5.4 million passengers in the first month of 2023, the most since 2020. Outgoing chief executive John Holland-Kaye declared the UK’s busiest airport was “back to its best” as the post-Covid recovery finally picks up pace.

But over 3,000 members of Unite, including security workers, engineers and firefighters, are to begin voting on strike action after rejecting a 10 per cent pay increase.

The ballot will close on 17 March, raising the prospect of walkouts over the Easter holiday period.

Last summer saw major disruption for airports such as Heathrow as the aviation sector struggled to cope with staff shortages and travellers were met with sudden flight cancellations and severe delays.

Heathrow said on Monday it had “successfully managed” previous strikes before Christmas and claimed overall passenger satisfaction scores are now at or above pre-pandemic levels.

In January, 97 per cent of passengers waited less than 10 minutes for security, it said.

Mr Holland-Kaye said: “Heathrow is back to its best, with passenger satisfaction scores meeting or exceeding 2019 levels.”

Furthermore, the airport said it is supportive of airlines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic restarting ticket sales to China, “reopening a key market for British exports once more.”

However, a spokesperson said it was “extremely disappointed” at the Unite strike ballot and that the pay offer was made “despite Heathrow remaining loss-making and with significant uncertainties facing our business”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Heathrow Airport is guilty of gross hypocrisy, it is paying telephone number salaries to its chief executive and senior managers, but the workers who make the company a success are on poverty wages.”

Mr Holland-Kaye, who has been chief executive for nine years, has said he will stand down once a successor is appointed.