Gatwick Airport faces Easter Holiday misery « Euro Weekly News

Gatwick Airport has hit the headlines again for all the wrong reasons as staff prepare to go on strike over the four-day Easter weekend.

If the strikes were to go ahead, it is anticipated that up to 50 fights per day would be affected by the industrial action. What’s more, anyone whose holiday plans are impacted by these strikes will not be entitled to compensation, further adding to the misery.  This is according to legal experts at SkyRefund who have advised that airport staff taking the decision to strike is classed as ‘extraordinary circumstances.’

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights due to strike?

However, depending on the holiday insurance policy, it may be possible to reclaim any holiday cancellation costs, and it may cover costs arising from missed connections or delays caused by the strike. Beware, though: Many policies specifically exclude cover for strikes, so it is important to check the terms and conditions carefully.

On this occasion, it is the baggage handlers who work for Red Handling that are considering such drastic action.  As members of the second biggest union, Unite, they are protesting over pensions and payment delays.  The Sun newspaper reported that Unite regional officer David Taylor has described the treatment of staff at the airport as a ‘disgrace’ and urged Gatwick bosses to pay outstanding pensions.

He said, “We’re demanding that Red Handling pay all outstanding pension contributions immediately, compensate staff for retirement money they’ve lost, and commit to reimbursing them for late payments.”

When is the Gatwick Airport strike planned to take place?

Were it to go ahead, they would certainly be making their feelings known, as this is set to be one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.  Already, there are expected to be crowds and longer queues than normal, so strike action leading to cancellations is the last thing that the UK’s second biggest airport needs at this time.  However, at present the strikes are planned to start on Friday April 18 and continue each day over the Easter holiday until the early hours of April 22.

In response to the proposed action, a Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are supporting the airlines impacted, who hold the contracts directly with Red Handling, with their contingency plans and are hopeful a resolution can be reached ahead of the proposed industrial action.”

During this time of uncertainty, travellers are advised to contact their airlines for the latest information specifically related to their flights.