Major Scottish airlines fuel supplies to be hit amid tank driver strikes

Fuel supplies at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports will be hit as tanker drivers halt fuel deliveries amid strike action.

Grangemouth-based tanker drivers working for Turners (Soham) Limited are set to walk out over a pay dispute starting from Friday, October 17.

Scotland’s largest union has confirmed that major airlines operating at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports will be impacted.

Strike action is due to continue until October 21.

Unite said that Turners has refused to improve upon its 1% pay offer for 2025, while the latest inflation rate stood at 4.6% in August.

It said the company offered only marginal improvements in working conditions and allowances for workers.

Turners further proposed a pay offer for the following year, based on the CPI inflation rate as of January 2026.

The two-year offer was rejected by Unite’s membership, and the union said there has been no breakthrough in talks.

“Turners is driving our members towards strike action by its continual refusal to improve upon what is a miserly pay offer from a very profitable company,” Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said.

“We will fully support our members in their fight to secure better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Unite industrial officer, Lyn Turner, added: “Unite has tried to engage with Turners to bring this dispute to a positive conclusion. Unfortunately, the company is intent on escalating this pay dispute to the point where strike action will now be inevitable due to its penny-pinching.

“We are in no doubt that if these Grangemouth-based tanker drivers are forced to take strike action, then it will significantly hit fuel supplies to airlines at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.”

A spokesperson for Turners has said: “We feel we have tried our utmost to resolve this dispute. Initially, there were two groups of drivers involved.

“We have been to ACAS and the dispute is resolved with the larger group. A small group of five drivers have decided to escalate to taking action, it is extremely disappointing. We have had to involve customers to ensure plans are in place so that no airport is impacted and no other parts of our operation are affected.”

Edinburgh Airport has said the strike action will have “limited impact”.