Who is striking at Gatwick airport?

Unite the Union announced on Wednesday 9 August that more than 230 employees of Red Handling and Wilson James were set to strike, causing potential issues for ground handling and passenger assistance services.



As of March 2026, travelers at London Gatwick are facing disruption primarily due to industrial action by ground handling staff and security personnel. Specifically, members of the Unite the Union working for third-party contractors (like Wilson James or Menzies Aviation) have been striking over pay disputes and working conditions. These walkouts often involve baggage handlers, check-in agents, and aircraft refuellers, leading to significant delays and "tactical" flight cancellations by airlines like easyJet and British Airways. In addition to local labor strikes, Gatwick has seen flight suspensions recently due to airspace restrictions and safety concerns stemming from the escalating Middle East conflict, affecting carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways. While not a "strike" in the traditional sense, these external factors are causing similar levels of operational chaos. Passengers are strongly advised to check their flight status at least 24 hours in advance and monitor the Gatwick Airport Twitter (X) feed for the latest updates on which specific service providers are currently striking.

People Also Ask

How will you know if your flight is cancelled? Gatwick has advised passengers to check the status of their flights directly with their airlines. It is expected that airlines will inform passengers if a flight is being cancelled a day before it is set to take off. What are your rights?

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Strike action can mean either the ground staff or plane crew will not be operating their usual tasks. Flights can also be cancelled due to air traffic control strikes, ground staff or plane crew. This disruption can affect other areas, such as retail and cleaning services.

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You are entitled to compensation if your flight was cancelled due to airline strike, and you were not notified of this at least 14 days prior to your scheduled departure. If your flight was cancelled, the airline must offer a rebooking on an alternative flight within reasonable time.

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Travel insurance can cover delay and cancellation caused by strikes. It's a good idea to buy your travel insurance as soon as you've purchased your flights, because if a strike is announced later, you could be protected.

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How long before my flight do I need to check in? We advise that you arrive at least two hours before your flight to allow plenty of extra time to check-in and pass through security.

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  • JetBlue.
  • Qatar Airways.
  • Royal Air Maroc.
  • Rwandair.
  • TUI.
  • WestJet.


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The best place to keep up to date on the status of your flight with real time information is via our Flight Tracker which can also be accessed via our mobile app.

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“They are struggling to hire people fast enough to keep up with demand. While flight timetables are getting busier and busier, the staff members are only increasing very gradually and unfortunately resulting in large numbers of delays.”

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DHL took over ground handling operations for easyJet at London Gatwick in November 2017.

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The airport is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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' If you're short on time, here's a quick answer to your question: Yes, in many cases, especially during significant delays or cancellations not due to extraordinary circumstances, airlines may cover the cost of hotel accommodations for passengers.

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Allegiant Air More than a quarter of those flights were delayed or canceled. In fact, 27.31 percent of the airline's flights were delayed, while just 72.69 percent of its flights were on time. There you have it. Of all the US airlines, Allegiant has the most delays and cancellations.

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So if your flight is delayed by 2 hours, there is no compensation. However, you can make a different claim. For example, if your flight is delayed by two hours or more, your airline must take care of you by offering you support services. These can be very different.

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