Travel chaos at Edinburgh Airport looms as union warns of Menzies Aviation staff summer strike action

Around 600 ground services staff employed by Menzies Aviation, including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers, have rejected two separate pay offers at both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.

Around half of those, based at Glasgow Airport, rejected a pay offer worth around 4.25 per cent. The other half, based at Edinburgh Airport, also rejected an offer worth around four per cent.

Union bosses are now warning that ‘summer strike action looms’ at Scotland’s major airports, which could throw passengers’ holiday plans into chaos.

Holiday-makers travelling from Edinburgh Airport this summer could be facing travel chaos as union chiefs warn of possible strike action.

Carrie Binnie, Unite industrial officer, said: “Summer strike action looms over Edinburgh and Glasgow airports because the pay offers on the table from Menzies Aviation aren’t good enough.”

“Menzies Aviation has the ability to improve its offers and they can easily resolve this pay dispute without any disruption to the travelling public. If the company fail to table a better offer to our members, Unite will have no option but to ballot our members for strikes over the summer holidays.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added: “Unite’s Menzies members have emphatically rejected unacceptable pay offers. The Menzies group is posting sky-high profits and our members who contribute towards this success deserve far better from the company.”

The ground handling and passenger services staff at Menzies Aviation provide support for major airlines, including American, United, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Emirates, Lufthansa, Loganair and AIR Transat.

Earlier this year, Menzies Aviation announced a ‘record-breaking performance’ for 2024. The company stated it had achieved its fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth after global revenue reached $2.6bn – up 20 per cent over the year. Menzies also reported global earnings before tax of $382m.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “This dispute is between Menzies Aviation and Unite, not Edinburgh Airport. It is for those organisations to comment on.”

Phil Lloyd, Senior Vice President UK at Menzies Aviation, said: “Following the rejection of recent pay award proposals, we remain committed to seeking a resolution. We have invited Unite to return to the table to continue discussions this week and hope to reach an agreement which is workable for both the business and our employees at both Edinburgh and Glasgow. We will continue to work to pursue an agreeable solution to protect services for our airline and airport partners and their customers.”