6 days ago
UK airport faces ‘shutdown' next month and may be forced to ground all flights in row over pay
Baggage handlers, plane fuellers and check-in staff are all threatening to walk out
GROUNDED UK airport faces 'shutdown' next month and may be forced to ground all flights in row over pay
HOLIDAYMAKERS could be thrown into chaos next month as a UK airport faces a total shutdown, with almost 80 key workers threatening to walk out in a blazing row over pay.
The dramatic development comes just a day after the airport's operator was flogged to a global investment firm — a move that's sparked fresh fury among staff.
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Staff at Bournemouth Airport are threatening to walk out
Credit: Alamy
Bournemouth Airport has been investing £50million in renovations and upgrades - a move that has left cash-strapped employees bitter.
Members of Unite, Britain's biggest union, are now being balloted for strike action.
The group includes critical frontline staff — baggage handlers, plane fuellers, check-in workers, security teams and flight dispatchers — meaning any walkout could bring the entire airport to a standstill.
If the strike gets the green light, every single flight could be grounded, and incoming planes delayed or diverted, causing travel misery for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
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Union bosses say workers were insulted by a below-inflation pay offer — a 4.5 percent rise for the lowest-paid, bringing them to just £12.22 an hour, and 3 percent for higher-paid staff — amounts they say don't come close to covering the soaring cost of living.
At the same time, Bournemouth Airport has hiked its own charges by 5 percent and pumped over £50 million into airport upgrades, thanks to a rise in passenger numbers. Yet staff say they're the ones paying the price.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham fumed: "Bournemouth Airport is putting its own interests over those of the workers.
"We appreciate it is investing in its future, but members must not be left behind in the pursuit of that.
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"Our hardworking members deserve a fair pay rise and Unite will back them every step of the way."
The ballot closes on 20 August, and strikes could begin as soon as the first week of September — right as schools return and autumn getaways kick off.
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Unite's regional officer Janet Wall warned: "We recognise that any flight cancellations and delays would be extremely disruptive and frustrating for travellers, but our members feel they've had no choice.
"This is entirely the fault of the employer, who is financially prospering while our members struggle to afford the basics."
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The airport — which handles over 950,000 passengers a year and runs flights to 34 destinations across Europe and North Africa, mainly via TUI and Ryanair — has insisted it's still negotiating.
A spokesperson for Bournemouth Airport said: 'We are in ongoing negotiations in good faith with Unite and remain hopeful that we can work constructively with them to reach agreement.
"We remain committed to keeping Bournemouth Airport as a vital economic asset for the region, our customers and for the people who work there now and in the future.'
But with tensions boiling over and the clock ticking, it could be holiday plans up in smoke for thousands unless a last-minute deal is struck.
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Bournemouth Airport was sold alongside Exeter and Norwich in a £200million deal.
The three regional airports are operated by Regional and City Airports (RCA) which is entering a new partnership.
It has been revealed that investment group ICG has agreed a deal to buy the three airports at a fee of £200million.
It's not bad news for passengers though as ICG has revealed plans on expanding flight routes out of all three airports - and possibly new destinations too.
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The managing director at ICG said that a key part of the company's plan would be to deliver on "growth" that the airports offer.
