Auckland Airport says tens of thousands of travellers could have their flights disrupted if its emergency services team goes ahead with two planned strikes later this month.
The E tū union has issued notice of two 24-hour strikes, each starting at 6am, on Tuesday 24 November and Friday 27 November, RNZ reports. The notice covers all 69 members of the airport's Airport Emergency Services team.
Why would flights be affected?
The team provides aviation firefighting, rescue, marine response and medical care at the airport and on the Manukau Harbour, the NZ Herald reports.
Auckland Airport's chief operations officer, Chloe Surridge, said the airport is required to have qualified rescue and firefighting staff available at all times for flights to operate.
"With all members of its AES team covered by the strike notice, the notified strike action would leave the airport without the people required to maintain that service," she told the Herald.
If the strikes go ahead as notified, she said, flights may need to be cancelled or diverted, causing "significant disruption to tens of thousands of travellers as well as the airlines, freight operations, exporters and businesses that rely on the airport."
The Herald reports that both domestic and international flights could be affected.
What is the dispute about?
E tū says the workers want pay that reflects the physical and psychological demands of the job, and fair compensation for overseas training.
According to the union, the airport's live-fire training facility has closed, so firefighters travel to Singapore for five days each year to meet Civil Aviation Authority requirements. From next year that will become two five-day trips a year, E tū says.
E tū assistant national secretary Mat Danaher told RNZ the workers wanted pay that recognised their specialist work. He told the Herald: "Nobody wants to strike and nobody wants travellers caught up in this... this could be resolved tomorrow if they make a reasonable offer."
Surridge said the airport remains committed to reaching "a fair and reasonable agreement through constructive negotiation" and encouraged the union to keep working at the bargaining table so the disruption can be avoided.
Is it definitely going ahead?
Not necessarily. Both sides say they are still bargaining and want to avoid disruption. Auckland Airport says it is working on contingency options to reduce the impact.
That means the picture could change before 24 November.
What should travellers do?
Auckland Airport is telling passengers to check with their airline for the latest information about their flights. Other practical steps:
- Make sure your airline has your current mobile number and email. That is usually how airlines tell passengers about cancellations and rebooking.
- Watch for changes closer to the date. Each strike would run for 24 hours from 6am, so flights early on 25 and 28 November could also be caught up. Keep checking your booking.
- Leave a buffer for connections. If you are connecting to another flight, or flying in for a wedding, exam or appointment, think about whether an earlier or later date is possible.
- Check your travel insurance. Read what the policy says about strikes and industrial action before relying on it.
Can you get a refund?
It depends on who caused the disruption and where you are flying.
The government's Consumer Protection website says that if a disruption is within an airline's control, such as its own staffing or maintenance, you are more likely to be entitled to a refund, rebooking or reimbursement of reasonable extra costs. If it is outside the airline's control, your rights usually depend on your ticket terms, and travel insurance may help.
Domestic flights are covered by the Civil Aviation Act, the airline's conditions of carriage and general consumer law. For international flights, rights depend on the airline's conditions of carriage and international conventions. Keep receipts, booking confirmations and messages from the airline in case you need to make a claim.
A busy week for disruption
Friday 27 November is also the day career firefighters plan the first of four 10-hour strikes. We explained what that means if you call 111. It is also the day the Electoral Commission is due to release the official election results, including special votes.
