More than 60 Loganair cabin crew are being balloted on potential strike action following a bitter disagreement over pay, with union officials accusing the Scottish regional airline of putting profits before its people.
Cabin crew at Loganair could soon be heading for the picket lines after rejecting what their union describes as an unacceptable pay offer from the airline.
The Unite union has launched a ballot involving more than 60 crew members based at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, the Isle of Man and Southampton. Voting opens today (October 8) and will close on October 27.
If members vote in favour of industrial action and the dispute remains unresolved, the airline could face disruption across parts of its UK and Ireland network.
However, Loganair insists it does not expect the dispute to affect its services and says it remains committed to reaching an agreement.
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Union Accuses Loganair of Refusing to Negotiate
At the heart of the disagreement is a pay offer that Unite claims the airline presented as its final proposal before formal negotiations had even begun.
The union says its members immediately rejected the offer, as they already face increasing workloads and uncertainty about their jobs.
Unite has also questioned why Loganair is unwilling to improve its offer, even though the airline has reported a combined after-tax profit of £31.6 million over the past four years.
According to figures highlighted by the union, Loganair recorded profits of £8.2 million in 2025, £5.7 million in 2024, £10.5 million in 2023 and £7.2 million in 2022.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Not only is Loganair financially healthy, but its cabin crew are being asked to do more and more at a time when job insecurity has risen for workers. Our members will have their union’s full support throughout this dispute.”
Concerns over job security have been heightened by Loganair’s decision in August to withdraw from public service obligation (PSO) routes serving Dundee Airport.
The union believes the decision has added to uncertainty among employees at a time when cabin crew are already facing mounting pressures.
‘Putting Profits Before People’
Unite industrial officer Carrie Donoghue has been particularly critical of the airline’s handling of the negotiations.
“Unite found itself in the unacceptable position of Loganair tabling a final offer before any negotiations had taken place,” she said.
“Loganair appears to have no genuine intention of avoiding an escalation in the dispute. Any future strike action involving Loganair cabin crew will be a direct result of the company putting profits before people.”
With the ballot now underway, the dispute could escalate into industrial action unless the two sides can find common ground.
Loganair Hits Back at Union Claims
Loganair has rejected suggestions that it has been unwilling to negotiate, insisting that discussions with Unite have been taking place for several months.
In a statement reported by Isle of Man Today, the airline said it was disappointed that the union had decided to pursue a strike ballot.
According to Loganair, it submitted an improved pay proposal in late September, offering cabin crew greater certainty over a two-year period.
The airline also claims it learned of the rejection only through media reports, not directly from Unite.
Loganair pointed to the difficult economic conditions facing the aviation industry, including significantly higher fuel costs and weakening passenger demand.
A spokesperson said: “We value our cabin crew greatly, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement through the recognised collective bargaining process, with hopes that Unite return to the table.”
The carrier also sought to reassure passengers, adding: “We do not expect this situation to affect our services, and our priority remains the smooth running of our flights for customers.”
Could Loganair Flights Be Disrupted?
Although no strike dates have been announced, industrial action could affect passengers travelling on Loganair’s regional network.
The airline plays an important role in connecting smaller communities across Scotland and the wider UK, including island destinations where air services are an essential transport link.
The Isle of Man is among the locations where concerns have already been raised about potential disruption.
Loganair operates flights connecting the island with Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Heathrow and Manchester.
Any walkout involving cabin crew could affect services beyond the seven airports where those taking part in the ballot are based.
Nevertheless, a vote in favour of industrial action would not automatically mean flights are cancelled. Further decisions would be required before any walkouts could take place.
For now, passengers can continue to travel as normal, with Loganair maintaining that its operations should remain unaffected.
The ballot result, which closes on October 27, will determine whether the dispute takes another step toward strike action.
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