Strike action could lead to shortage of food on BA flights
British Airways passengers at Gatwick are being warned of possible shortages of in-flight food and water due to strike action by HGV drivers.
Unite the union said drivers employed by Alpha Flight, the sole supplier of inflight food for BA at the airport, have voted for industrial action in a dispute over broken pay promises.
The 55 drivers will initially undertake an overtime ban from 03:00 on Monday March 18 until 11:59 on Friday March 22.
Unite said this will then be followed by strike action from 03:00 on Wednesday March 27 until 11:59 on Thursday March 28 unless an agreement is reached.
The union said once industrial action begins, the ability for Alpha Flight UK to be able to transport food from its on-site warehouse to the planes will be severely diminished.
"The very tight security airside at Gatwick precludes alternative solutions," it said.
Unite regional officer Jamie Major said the dispute is due to Alpha Flight UK ‘reneging on its promise to resolve the totally unfair situation of drivers being paid below the market rate’.
"British Airways passengers who find that their flights are lacking food and water have to understand that their comfort has been compromised directly by the penny pinching of Alpha Flight," it said.
"Even at this late stage Alpha Flight can still ensure that industrial action is avoided by coming forward with a reasonable pay offer, which meets the expectations of our members."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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