Pre-Christmas travellers using Heathrow airport later this month face disruption after baggage handlers voted to strike from 16 December.
The 72-hour strike action will affect flights operated by 10 major airlines from Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 4.
The dispute centres around a pay offer made to cargo workers but which has not been extended to baggage handlers.
The Unite union said ground-handling workers at Menzies Aviation have not received a “fair” pay offer.
Airlines that are likely to be affected by the three-day strike are Air Canada, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Qantas, Egypt Air, Aer Lingus and Finnair.
The dispute involves 350 workers employed by Menzies who were offered a lower pay deal than cargo workers employed by the company.
Cargo workers were offered a 9.5% pay increase backdated to May 2022 and a further 1% from January 2023, the union said.
A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport was “aware of industrial action proposed by Menzies colleagues”. It said it “encouraged airport partners who would be affected to continue with their contingency planning and we will support them to minimise the impact on passengers, should the strike go ahead.”
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