With the impending occurrence of labour strikes by Wizz Air’s ground handling staff at Luton Airport in the upcoming weeks, travellers departing from the airport should anticipate significant disturbances. Here is a comprehensive guide with all the essential information.
Ground handler strike by Wizz Air in Luton
On August 30, September 6, and September 13, some 80 ground handlers who work for Wizz Air at London Luton Airport (LTN) will organise 24-hour walkouts in protest of their employer, GH London Ground Handling Services. Passengers have been advised by the trade union Unite to prepare for severe disruption at this time.
Richard Gates, a regional officer for Unite, said:
The strikes will significantly affect Wizz’s schedule, but GH London initiated this conflict. The corporation has been given numerous chances to modify its behaviour, but it has chosen not to.
The strikes may have an effect on up to 78,000 passengers, according to aviation analytics company Cirium. With 600 employees and about 100 daily flights, Wizz Air is the largest airline at Luton Airport. The company recently celebrated serving 65 million passengers there, and this summer, it expects to handle more than 5 million passengers per month.
A representative for Wizz Air stated,
We are in contact with Luton Airport and our ground handling partner, and we’re taking all reasonable steps to keep passenger inconveniences to a minimum.
Affected travellers will be contacted by Wizz Air.
TimeOut points out that in this case, the standard compensation laws (under EU261) will not apply because Wizz Air is not directly employing the workers. Wizz will still need to provide for passengers who are more than two hours late, such as by providing an alternative mode of transportation or a reimbursement.
A representative for Wizz Air added,
As soon as we obtain an update, we will email and SMS any impacted passengers who made a direct reservation with the airline to inform them of their alternatives.
Wizz Air is the airline with the worst record for flight delays in the UK over the previous two years, according to the latest data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the UK. To counter this, Wizz has reviewed “every single aspect of its operations,” including rostering, flight timetables, and the availability of spare parts.
Why is there a strike?
The reason for the strike, according to Unite, is a “breakdown in industrial relations” with the employer, GH London. According to the union, the corporation has committed a number of violations, including treating its employees “appallingly.”
“GH London’s behaviour is abhorrent; employees should be treated with respect and decency at work, but the business’s actions significantly fall short of that standard. Unite always prioritises its members’ jobs, compensation, and working conditions, and the employees at GH London will have the union’s unwavering support.
This weekend’s scheduled Unite strike at London Gatwick Airport (LGW) was abruptly cancelled when workers got a better pay proposal. However, if the new agreement is rejected, 200 employees of Red Handling could still stage a walkout from August 25 to August 28.
Do you have any upcoming flights scheduled from Luton Airport? Please tell us in the comments.
