Heathrow Express is being forced to run an amended service with no overnight trains as workers staged a 48-hour walk out over pay.
Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union started the action at 3.40am this morning and have threatened another strike for 24 hours on June 24. The company, which runs the high speed link between Heathrow and London Paddington, said it would run a half hourly service rather than trains every 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm.
A bus service will operate to Terminal 4 from Heathrow’s central transport hub. But overnight trains will not run and passengers are being advised to use London Underground or taxis to get to and from the airport.
Services are expected to return to normal on Sunday – the middle of the Bank Holiday weekend. The industrial action could hit supporters and officials after the Uefa Champions League final on Saturday evening between Manchester United and Barcelona at Wembley.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that “all we are seeking to do is secure a fair pay deal for our members”.
He added: “The fact that hundreds of dignitaries from the global sporting community are booked on Heathrow Express trains this weekend just shows that this is a prestigious, successful and profitable service built on the hard work of our members. All we want is for the company to recognise that in this pay round.”
Heathrow Express managing director Richard Robinson said: “Our focus is to provide our customers with a regular service to and from the airport during this 48-hour period.”