Upcoming strike dates re-verified for 17–21 September and 23–26 September. Unite says flight delays are expected and passengers relying on assisted travel may face longer boarding and disembarkation times.
What is planned?
Unite says more than 220 Wilson James workers who provide assisted travel at London Gatwick are due to strike from 17 to 21 September and again from 23 to 26 September 2026 in a pay dispute.
What could passengers notice?
The union says industrial action is expected to make boarding and disembarkation take longer for passengers who rely on the assisted-travel service and to lead to flight delays across short-haul and long-haul services to and from Gatwick.
Compensation outlook
Where disruption is directly caused by third-party airport staff industrial action, fixed UK261 compensation is generally less likely because the cause may sit outside the airline’s control. That does not remove applicable care, refund or rerouting rights, and the cause recorded against an individual flight can differ from the wider event.
Fixed compensation generally unlikely
The wider incident may fall outside the airline’s control, but the reason recorded against an individual flight can differ. It can still be worth checking your specific journey.
Incident-wide guidance is not a final claim result. Your flight still needs to be assessed against its exact route, timings and cause.If you are travelling through Gatwick during the strike dates, check your flight with your airline before travelling and allow extra time. Passengers who require assisted travel should confirm their assistance arrangements with their airline or airport. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, keep airline messages and reasonable-expense receipts and ask about care, refund or rerouting options where relevant.
Fixed compensation and immediate passenger rights are separate questions. Depending on the circumstances, care, rerouting or refund rights may still apply even when fixed compensation does not.
Upcoming strike dates re-verified for 17–21 September and 23–26 September. Unite says flight delays are expected and passengers relying on assisted travel may face longer boarding and disembarkation times.