One of Europe’s leading car hire firms has announced that any customers affected by a possible strike by BAA workers will be able to cancel their car rental bookings without incurring a penalty. Sixt rent a car made the announcement at the end of last week after airport workers voted by 3 to 1 in favour of industrial action.

Last week, union Unite said that its members would not be accepting the offer of a 1 per cent pay rise. Strike action could now commence as early as next week. The move could result in a number of key airport workers, such as security personnel and fire fighters, picketing the UK’s major airports.

The news will be a further blow to travellers who have had to endure disruption this year because of strikes at British Airways, the volcanic ash cloud which settled over Europe in April grounding planes for nearly a week and severe winter conditions in January which brought the country’s transport systems to a standstill.

Per Voegerl, Sixt’s commercial director, said the company would be waiving its cancellation fees for those who are unable to use a car from its fleet due to the strike. He added that Sixt realised that such disruption was out of the control of the company’s customers and that hiring a vehicle should be made as stress free as possible.

Voergerl went on to say that all Sixt customers should feel comfortable making a car hire reservations with the confidence that they can cancel that reservation without incurring a financial penalty.