UAE-based airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways said on Sunday they were monitoring the implications of a proposed 48-hour strike by airport workers in the UK in the run-up to Christmas.
More than 1,500 check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew at 18 airports in the UK – all members of the Unite trade union and employed by aviation services group Swissport – are expected to go on strike on December 23 and 24, according to UK media.
The list of affected airports includes Heathrow, Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Doncaster, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds & Bradford, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton.
Emirates and Etihad each separately told Arabian Business they were closely monitoring developments in case strike action disrupts flight schedules to and from the UAE.
Etihad said in a statement: “Etihad Airways is aware of potential industrial action at airports in the UK and Northern Ireland later this month.
“The airline continues to monitor developments closely and will implement contingency plans to minimise any disruption to our operations and to our guests should this materialise.”
The statement from Emirates said: “[There
will be] no affect to our operations, however, we will be monitoring the
developments closely.”
Unite national officer Oliver Richardson told the London Evening Standard earlier that they were calling for Swissport to engage in constructive talks over concerns related to employees’ pay and working hours.
Officials from Unite and Swissport reportedly plan to meet on December 20.
Among its services, Swissport handles ground services for Emirates at Heathrow Airport.
Separately, up to 4,500 British Airways (BA) employees plan to strike over the festive period, in action the airline has described as “calculated” and “completely unnecessary.”
BA said it was working on a contingency plan for the anticipated strikes at Heathrow, to be released within the next three days.
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