Heathrow & Gatwick Strike Warning
London passengers travelling to a popular city break destination next month have been warned of planned strikes as pilots, cabin crew and ground handling staff at several airports are expected to walk out. On Saturday September 7, industrial action is planned on two popular airlines, as well as at four airports in a European holiday destination.
This could have a serious impact on London travellers on September 7 – as London’s major airports will all be affected. Flights from and to Heathrow Airport and Gatwick Airport to these destinations could to be disrupted, as well as flights from and to smaller airports including Stansted, Luton and City.
Cabin crew and pilots at ITA Airways and budget airline Wizz Air plan to strike between 1pm and 5pm local time on September 7. However, flights between 7am and 10am, and between 6pm and 9pm are guaranteed to continue due to national law.
Wizz Air flies from Gatwick and Luton airports, while ITA Airways flies from London City and Gatwick airports. As well as this, ground handling staff at three Italian airports, and air traffic control staff at a fourth airport, are due to walk out on the same day.
This is likely to cause long delays and flight cancellations on September 7.
The four airports affected are:
Florence Peretola Airport (FLR): Ground handling staff – Affecting flights to and from Gatwick, Heathrow and City airports.
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP): Ground services and handling staff – Affecting flights to and from Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted and Luton airports.
Pisa International Airport (PSA): Ground handling staff – Affecting flights to and from Stansted, Heathrow and Luton airports.
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO): ENAV air traffic control staff – Affecting flights to and from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
This is not the first time travellers have faced strikes this year. Earlier in 2024, Wizz Air pilots and cabin crew striked for four hours, which caused significant disruption to Wizz Air flights across the day. Therefore, it’s wise to be prepared for disruption if you’re due to be travelling on September 7, even if you’re travelling to other destinations.
This is because if flights miss their departure slot due to delays, it can cause a knock-on effect to the rest of the flight schedule and can cause additional delays to other flights.