- Strikes planned by air traffic controllers at Leeds Bradford Airport have been suspended after a late pay offer
- Unite members were scheduled to walk out from 16 to 18 October 2026
- Hourly paid staff are voting on a separate pay offer
- Further strikes from 23 October to 2 November 2026 may still go ahead
- A starter air traffic controller at Leeds Bradford Airport earns about £34,000 compared to £55,000 at Newcastle Airport
Strikes planned by air traffic controllers at Leeds Bradford Airport have been suspended after a late pay offer. Members of the Unite Union were scheduled to walk out from Friday, 16 October to Sunday, 18 October 2026, which threatened to disrupt flights. The industrial action has been put on hold to allow the controllers to vote on the new proposal.
Hourly paid staff including security, check-in and passenger assistance workers are voting on a separate pay offer. If they reject it, they may still strike this weekend as planned. If the air traffic controllers reject this new offer, further strikes already scheduled from 23 October to 2 November 2026 will still go ahead.
According to Unite, workers at Leeds Bradford Airport are paid less than those doing the same roles at Newcastle Airport. A starter air traffic controller at Leeds Bradford Airport earns about £34,000 while the same role at Newcastle is paid £55,000.
