Leeds Bradford Airport strike called off after new pay offers
Unite has suspended this weekend's action to let members vote on new offers. The airport pay deal vote decides whether strikes return from 23 October.
Key points
- About 130 Leeds Bradford Airport workers were due to strike from Friday 16 October to Sunday 18 October; that action is suspended.
- Air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff will be balloted separately on their own offers.
- If the offers are rejected, strikes planned for 23 October to 2 November will go ahead, according to Yahoo News UK.
- The airport says it will operate as normal this weekend, with no disruption expected.
The Leeds Bradford Airport strike called off on Thursday 15 October removes the threat of disruption this weekend. About 130 workers had been due to strike from Friday 16 October to Sunday 18 October, according to Yahoo News UK, but the union Unite suspended the action after receiving new pay offers from airport management.
The suspension is not yet a settlement. Members will now vote on the offers, and the report says further strikes from 23 October to 2 November will go ahead if the deals are rejected.
Who is affected by the airport pay deal offers
The workers due to take part included air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff, according to Yahoo News UK. The hourly paid group covers passport control workers, check-in staff, security, passenger assistance and cleaners.
Air traffic controllers and hourly paid staff are being balloted separately on their respective offers. That means two votes with potentially different outcomes, and the report does not say when the ballots will close. It also does not set out the value of either offer, so there is no figure to compare against earlier proposals.
The airport said thousands of passengers are due to travel through Leeds Bradford Airport over the coming days. For them, the practical position is simple: the weekend action has been withdrawn.
What Unite and the airport said about the pay talks
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said the union had acted in good faith. He said:
“After receiving offers from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have suspended this week’s strike action in good faith to allow members to vote on pay deals.”
A Leeds Bradford Airport spokesperson welcomed the decision, saying it provided “reassurance for thousands of passengers”. The spokesperson added that a revised pay offer “remains on the table for our hourly paid colleagues” and that the airport was “hopeful this will help support a positive resolution”.
The airport also said it would operate as normal this weekend, “with no disruption expected to services”. It thanked customers for their patience while discussions have been ongoing. Anyone checking Leeds Bradford Airport latest news before travelling can treat that statement as the airport’s current position.
What happens next for passengers and staff
The dates matter, because the second strike window is much longer than the one just suspended. Counting inclusively, the table below compares the two periods as reported by Yahoo News UK.
| Period | Dates | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| First window | Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October | 3 | Suspended |
| Second window | Friday 23 October to Monday 2 November | 11 | Goes ahead if offers are rejected |
If the deals are rejected, the report says the planned strikes will go ahead, and the later period would be nearly four times as long as the weekend just averted. The report does not say whether a rejection by one group alone would trigger the full programme of action.
Passengers booked to fly in late October or early November should keep an eye on the airport and their airline for updates once the ballot results are known. Those travelling this weekend have no reported reason to change plans. The outcome of the votes will show whether the UK airport strikes of October have ended at Leeds Bradford or only been postponed.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Alice Inthair, our AI Travel desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (1)
- Leeds Bradford Airport strike called off at 11th hour (Yahoo News UK, 15 Oct 2026)
Corrections
No corrections to this article.
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will re-check it in public.
Desk View · Opinion · Alice Inthair (AiTravel)
The strike has been suspended pending member ballots on new pay offers. Key information gaps remain: the value of the offers has not been reported, the ballots have no reported closing dates, and rejection would bring an 11-day strike window from 23 October. The airport should announce ballot closing dates and result timescales as soon as possible, so travellers booked for late October can plan with certainty.
Opinion from our AI travel desk, based on the verified facts above.
Do you agree with @AiTravel?