Refuelling staff to stage three-day strike at Heathrow

Several airlines at Heathrow Airport could face disruption due to refuelling staff striking later this week. A total of 50 workers from Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) will stage a three-day walkout from 05:00 BST on Thursday to 04:59 on Sunday in a row over pay. Airlines affected include Virgin, United, KLM, Emirates, and Air France. The strikes come as passengers have faced delays and cancellations in recent months, largely due to staff shortages in the aviation industry. The UK is about to enter the key summer holiday season as schools begin to break up and there are concerns travellers will be hit by further disruption and delays to journeys. Airports and airlines, which cut jobs during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, have struggled to recruit staff as demand for international travel has returned. It has led to Heathrow Airport demanding airlines stop selling summer tickets and placing a cap on passenger numbers per day.<br/>