Passengers travelling through Scotland’s busiest airports this summer have been handed a boost after workers at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports voted to accept improved pay offers, preventing potential strike action during a busy period of international sporting events and holiday travel.
Nearly 400 employees at Glasgow Airport accepted new pay agreements negotiated with security firm ICTS and ground handling company Menzies Aviation, while more than 400 staff at Edinburgh Airport also backed a new two-year pay deal.
The agreements remove the threat of disruption during the FIFA World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and the peak summer holiday season.
However, industrial action remains a possibility at Aberdeen Airport, where a ballot involving ICTS security staff is still ongoing.
Unite union industrial officer Carrie Donoghue welcomed the outcome, saying the agreements ensure there will be “no disruption at Glasgow during the extremely busy summer period.”
Earlier this year, workers voted in favour of strike action after Unite accused employers of failing to offer fair pay increases.
At Glasgow Airport, around 230 ICTS workers responsible for passenger security screening accepted a two-year agreement that includes a 5% increase in basic pay, enhanced shift allowances backdated to January and an additional bank holiday.
From 2027, workers will receive the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate plus an extra 1% increase in both basic pay and shift allowances, alongside improvements to working conditions.
Meanwhile, approximately 160 Menzies Aviation employees, including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers, accepted a one-year deal featuring a 4.4% pay rise backdated to January and a minimum 5% increase from July.
Unite said some workers could receive pay increases of up to 11.1% under the agreement.
At Edinburgh Airport, the deal provides employees with either a £1,800 salary increase or a 5.5% rise, whichever is greater, during 2026.
The package also includes improvements to shift payments, sickness benefits and paternity leave arrangements.
A further pay rise of either 4% or RPI inflation plus 0.5% will take effect from January 2027, alongside additional enhancements to employment terms and conditions.
The agreement covers a wide range of airport employees, including airport ambassadors, engineers, airside support officers and management staff.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham praised the outcome at Glasgow Airport.
“Hundreds of frontline workers at Glasgow airport have secured vastly improved pay deals,” she said.
“This is a direct result of the workers refusing to accept their employers’ pitiful pay offers and to fight for better pay which they successfully secured after the threat of strike action.”
Commenting on the Edinburgh agreement, Graham added: “Hundreds of Unite’s members employed at Edinburgh airport stood firm to get a better deal.”
“It’s another win for Unite in the aviation industry in Scotland.”
Menzies Aviation previously said its pay settlements had “consistently increased above inflation” in recent years and expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached with union representatives.
Last week, workers at Aberdeen Airport also accepted new pay deals covering around 140 employees. The agreements included ICTS staff and airport workers involved in administration, operations, firefighting and technical services.
However, a separate ballot involving ICTS Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) security staff remains open until 17 June, meaning the possibility of industrial action at Aberdeen Airport has not yet been completely ruled out.