London Heathrow Airport strike suspended: Refuelling workers cancel three-day July walkout

Refuelling workers at Heathrow Airport - who were due to go on strike today - have suspended their walk out after a new pay offer was placed on the table.

Members of Unite, employed by Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) Ltd, had planned to stage a 72-hour walkout, beginning at 5am today (Thursday July 21) and ending at 4.59am on Sunday July 24.

However that has been suspended after a “sustainably improved offer was made” following negotiations with conciliation service Acas.

Members will now be balloted on the new offer.

Kevin Hall said: “Unite has consistently said that AFS was capable of making an offer more likely to meet members’ expectations.

“Following the assistance of Acas an improved offer was made.

“Members will now be given the time to consider and vote on the new offer.”

The workers had chosen to take industrial action as they have gone without a pay increase for three years, which has seen their incomes fall by 15.5% due to inflation.

Unite said that AFS initially made an offer of a 10% increase, but this was rejected by workers as it “did not meet their expectations.”

The action affects about 50 workers, a union representative said.

The strike action would have affected 70 airlines at the airport including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, United, SAS, Air France, Emirates, Delta, JAL, KLM and Singapore Airlines.