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Airport staff working for Swissport are planning to strike at two London airports over the busy August bank holiday weekend, potentially leading to cancelled flights, long delays and stranded holidaymakers. Workers involved include baggage screeners, baggage handlers and check-in staff.

The strike is due to disputes over pay after workers rejected a 3% pay rise offer from Unite, the UK’s biggest manufacturing, technical and skilled persons’ union. The strike will also involve Stansted airport staff from other unions, including GMB, whose workers rejected a 1.5% payrise.

Airport staff claim they are struggling with the increasing price of living and are demanding a 5% rise, in line with the current increase in the retail price index. There are also calls for sick pay to be reintroduced for the first three days of absence resulting from illness.

The strike will affect Stansted and Gatwick with around 300 staff walking out for 24 hours on Monday, 25th August and possibly continuing on Friday, 29th August in other airports. Staff at airports in Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle will vote on industrial action in the coming weeks.

The strike could affect up to 1.3 million passengers on Virgin Atlantic, First Choice, North West and Monarch flights as well as those from several smaller airlines and charter flights. However, Swissport say they are working with the airports and airlines to limit disruption to the general public.

Earlier this year, airport staff threatened to walk out at seven British airports but these strikes were cancelled after BAA changed plans regarding pension rights.