Hundreds of workers at Heathrow will leave ahead of the World Cup finals this month because of demands for higher wages.
Unite said 700 employees, who are involved in ground handling, air and cargo handling, employed by Dnata and Menzies at Heathrow, will go on strike for three days from November 18.
“It will lead to disruptions, cancellations and delays at Heathrow’s terminals 2, 3 and 4,” the union said in its statement.
“The strike action will particularly affect Qatar Airways, which has scheduled an additional 10 flights a week during the World Cup.”
It added that other airlines that were “heavily affected” would include Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Cathay-Pacific and Emirates.
Passengers returning to the United States for the Thanksgiving holiday, which falls on November 24, are also likely to be among those affected.
Unite said both companies, which are contractors to airlines, have offered to cut wages relative to the rate of inflation.
The union said Dnata had offered its workers a 5% raise, while offers for Menzies workers ranged from 2% to 6%.
They, Heathrow and the airlines were not immediately available for comment.
Unite regional official Kevin Hall said: “The strike action will inevitably cause disruptions, delays and cancellations for flights across Heathrow, with World Cup travelers particularly affected. separate.
“However, this dispute is entirely between Dnata and Menzies. They had every opportunity to make a fair offer but chose not to do so.”
