Published on : 19 Apr 2026
🟢 BREAKING UPDATE — SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2026 Strike Status: SUSPENDED ✅ — No industrial action Who Called It Off: Unite the Union after ACAS-facilitated improved pay offer from ABM Airlines Affected (Previously): Ryanair · easyJet · Wizz Air · Jet2 · TUI Airports: London Stansted (STN) Passengers Affected: 200+ daily Stansted departures now operating without disruption Original Strike Dates: Friday April 17 – Monday April 20, 2026 Current Status: Strike suspended — workers to vote on improved pay offer What This Means for You Today: All flights operating normally at Stansted — no boarding delays, no PRM service disruption
Millions of passengers flying from London Stansted this weekend can breathe a huge sigh of relief. The four-day walkout by over 100 ABM Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) assistance workers — which threatened Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air departures from Friday April 17 through Monday April 20 — has been suspended after last-minute negotiations produced an improved pay offer.
Strikes by ABM workers at London Stansted Airport have been called off to allow workers to vote on an improved pay offer. Over 100 Unite members who look after passengers with disabilities were due to walk out until Monday April 20. However, following negotiations between Unite, the employer and the conciliatory service Acas, the action has been postponed after a new offer was put forward.
Unite regional officer Steve Edwards said: “After a new offer was put forward to members, we have decided to suspend strike action to allow them to vote on the offer.”
The suspension means all flights at Stansted are operating normally this Sunday and Monday. Passengers who had arrived early, booked alternative airports, or cancelled their trips over fears of disruption can now travel with confidence — though the dispute is not yet fully resolved, as the improved offer must still be voted on by workers.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Strike Status | ✅ SUSPENDED — No action |
| Original Strike Dates | Fri April 17 – Mon April 20, 2026 |
| Workers Involved | 100+ ABM PRM passenger assistance staff |
| Union | Unite the Union |
| Employer | ABM (contracted by Manchester Airport Group) |
| Original Strike Vote | 97% in favour of action |
| Why Strike Suspended | Improved pay offer submitted via ACAS |
| Next Step | Unite members to vote on new offer |
| Vote Outcome | Not yet announced |
| Airlines Cleared | Ryanair · easyJet · Wizz Air · Jet2 · TUI |
| PRM passengers at Stansted (peak) | ~2,000 per day |
| Daily Stansted departures | 200+ |
| Ryanair share of Stansted flights | ~60% |
| Risk of further strike | Possible if members reject new offer |
Stansted is operating normally today. The boarding process for PRM passengers — the specific service disrupted by ABM workers — is running with full staffing. Airlines are not under any service pressure from the dispute. Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air have confirmed their normal schedules are in operation.
However, passengers should be aware that the suspension is not the same as a resolution. The dispute over pay has not been settled — it has been paused while Unite’s members consider a new offer from ABM. If members vote to reject the offer, Unite retains the legal right to call further industrial action with the standard notice period. Travel industry experts are watching the outcome of that vote closely.
For passengers flying Monday April 20 — the final day of the original strike window — the position is the same: Stansted is operating normally and no disruption is expected from ABM workers on Monday.
Early April 2026: ABM and Unite the Union begin pay negotiations. ABM’s initial offer: 1 penny per hour increase in year one, plus 2–3 pence per hour in year two. Unite calculated the proposal would require staff to work an entire week to afford the equivalent of one additional tin of beans.
April 13–14: Unite confirms strike ballot result. Workers voted 97% in favour of industrial action. Strike dates confirmed: April 17–20.
April 14: ABM responded: “We are disappointed that Unite the Union has confirmed its intention to ballot members on strike action, particularly as the standard failure to agree process has not been followed. We continue to negotiate in good faith with Unite the Union toward an agreement that is fair for our team members, clients and stakeholders, and remain hopeful that we can agree on a shared path forward soon.”
April 15: Travel Tourister publishes final 48-hour warning article. No deal confirmed. Millions of passengers warned to arrive early.
April 17: ACAS called in. Three-way negotiations between Unite, ABM, and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) produce an improved pay offer. Unite suspends action immediately.
April 18–19: Strike action suspended to give workers time to vote on a fresh pay offer. Strikes were due to take place across the weekend until Monday April 20.
Ongoing: Unite members are now voting on the new offer. The outcome has not yet been announced.
It is worth understanding why a walkout by just over 100 workers can cause disruption across an airport that handles millions of passengers annually.
ABM workers at Stansted provide Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) assistance — a legally required service under EU Regulation 1107/2006 and retained UK law. This means that every passenger who needs wheelchair assistance, an ambulift boarding vehicle, or support navigating security and gates is dependent on ABM staff to reach their aircraft.
Stansted handles about 2,000 PRM passengers a day in peak periods. Airlines must provide assistance once a traveller is inside the terminal, but they rely on ABM to push wheelchairs, operate ambi-lifts and guide visually-impaired passengers through security.
When ABM staffing drops significantly, even passengers who do not require assistance are indirectly affected, because aircraft cannot depart until all boarding-dependent passengers are seated. A single wheelchair passenger waiting for an ambulift can hold a gate for 10–15 minutes. Across a peak day at Stansted, with multiple aircraft on tight turnaround schedules, that cascade becomes visible very quickly.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham had said: “This is one of the meanest so-called pay rises imaginable. Dedicated workers will have to work for an entire week just to buy a tin of beans. It is beyond contempt that a profitable company such as ABM is choosing to prioritise greed and exposing its workers to a real-terms pay cut. Our members at ABM will be fully supported by Unite throughout this dispute.”
ABM is a major international facilities management company. In March 2026, it reported that it made $2.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 6.1 per cent on the previous year. That financial context was central to Unite’s argument that the company had the means to make a substantially better offer — and appears to have played a role in bringing ABM back to the table via ACAS.
The honest answer is: not yet. The suspension is significant and welcome — but it is conditional on the outcome of the member vote on the new offer.
There are three possible outcomes from here:
Outcome 1 — Members Accept the New Offer ✅ The dispute ends. ABM workers return to normal service. No further industrial action. This would be the best outcome for passengers and is likely the scenario ABM and Stansted Airport are hoping for.
Outcome 2 — Members Reject the New Offer ❌ Unite retains the legal mandate from the original 97% vote. The union can call further strike action with standard notice. In this scenario, additional strike dates would almost certainly be announced — potentially targeting the May bank holiday weekend, which falls on May 3–5, 2026. Passengers flying Ryanair, easyJet, or Wizz Air from Stansted in early May should monitor this outcome closely.
Outcome 3 — Further Negotiations If the vote is inconclusive or produces a narrow majority, further talks may follow. Unite and ABM could return to ACAS for mediation. This extends the period of uncertainty but avoids immediate escalation.
The vote outcome will be announced by Unite the Union via their official channels. Travel Tourister will publish a full update when the result is known.
Your site published Day 1 (April 17) and Day 2 (April 18) live coverage of the strike before it was suspended. Passengers who experienced delays on those days because of reduced PRM staffing before the suspension was announced should note the following:
Was compensation owed for April 17–18 delays? No cash compensation is owed under UK261 for PRM service delays at Stansted. Under UK261 (the UK’s retained version of EU Regulation 261/2004), an external contractor strike — as distinct from an airline’s own crew strike — is classified as an extraordinary circumstance. Airlines including Ryanair, Jet2, and easyJet confirmed they would waive change fees for PRM passengers who wished to move trips outside the strike window, but would not pay compensation because the dispute counts as an “extraordinary circumstance” under UK261 rules.
Were refunds owed for cancelled flights? Yes. If your flight was cancelled — regardless of cause — you retain the right to a full cash refund under UK261. Cancellations from extraordinary circumstances do not remove the refund entitlement.
Were April 17–18 flights significantly disrupted? The suspension was announced on April 17 before the strike took effect, so disruption on those days from the ABM dispute appears to have been minimal. Passengers who experienced delays on those days should check whether the delay was attributable to the ABM issue or to other causes (weather, operational delays) before pursuing any claims.
Ryanair — which operates approximately 60% of all Stansted departures — is flying its full schedule today and Monday. Any waivers issued ahead of the original strike dates remain in place and passengers who rebooked may wish to check their original booking status with Ryanair.com.
easyJet is operating normally from Stansted today. The airline had contingency plans in place for the strike window; those plans are now stood down.
Wizz Air flights at Stansted are running as scheduled. No disruption is expected from the ABM dispute today or Monday.
Both leisure carriers — which serve Stansted primarily on summer Mediterranean routes — are operating normally. Package holiday passengers who feared being stranded can now travel as planned.
The Stansted ABM strike is suspended and flights are operating normally this Sunday and Monday. If you are flying from Stansted today or tomorrow, you do not need to arrive extra early because of this dispute, and there is no disruption expected from the PRM service.
The dispute is not resolved — it is paused. Unite members are voting on a new pay offer from ABM, facilitated through ACAS negotiations. The outcome of that vote will determine whether this remains a suspension or whether new strike dates are announced. If you are flying from Stansted in the first two weeks of May, keep this dispute on your radar.
Travel Tourister will publish a full update the moment the vote outcome is announced. For the moment, enjoy your Sunday flight — the tin of beans standoff has, at least temporarily, been stood down.
Sources: Unite the Union official statement (April 17, 2026), Your Harlow (strike called off report), International Airport Review, ABM official statement, London Stansted Airport, UK Civil Aviation Authority UK261 regulations.Posted By : Vinay
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