Closures expected at Leeds Bradford Airport due to staff strikes

Leeds Bradford Airport could face multiple days of disruption and potential shutdowns as almost 130 staff take industrial action over pay this month.

Members of the Unite union include air traffic control, security, and customer experience staff who will strike between Friday 16th and Sunday 18th October, despite the airport providing a formal offer in response to pay discussions.

The action is expected to force the airport to shut down, with air traffic control staff striking on both days. Hourly paid workers are set to be unavailable from 3am on 16th October to 6am on 18th October.

The union also said there would be no staff in the terminal to assist passengers during the action.

The workers have been in discussions with Leeds Bradford Airport bosses since December 2025, with Unite claiming the airport’s latest offer does not go far enough to address what it describes as a lack of pay parity with workers at other airports.

However, Leeds Bradford Airport said it does not believe industrial action is the right way to resolve the dispute and said it had made a “fair and responsible” offer to its staff.

Unite said Leeds Bradford Airport reported a turnover of £61.5m for the year ending 31st March 2025, up from £54m the previous year.

However, the airport recently recorded a £6.6m loss for the 2025/26 financial year, according to figures reported by The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The loss followed a £479,000 profit in the previous year and came despite the airport recording its busiest-ever year, with passenger numbers increasing by four per cent to 4.4 million.

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Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said passengers with flights booked during the strike period would be “concerned” but claimed workers had “no choice” but to take action.

He said: “The airport is profitable, passenger numbers are growing and our members are a major part of its success. They deserve a fair pay rise, and management must come back to the table to deliver this.”

Leeds Bradford Airport said it remains committed to talks with Unite and would welcome further discussions aimed at resolving the dispute.

The airport also said any profits are reinvested into the business, including improvements to facilities, infrastructure, operations and customer experience.

It comes as the airport continues its LBA:REGEN project, with a new central search zone and staff welfare facilities opening this week.

The airport said its focus remains on serving Yorkshire, supporting staff and maintaining safe operations.

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