Heathrow Airport needs to drum up £400 million in funding after it was told by the aviation regulator to lower the amount it charges airlines.
Boss Thomas Woldbye has launched a cost-cutting plan to combat the deficit, with one of his first moves being to outsource hundreds of security staff roles to third-party contractors.
However, said cost efficiencies have been criticised by unions such as Unite, which said it wants to challenge the £400 million figure as it believes a revised amount was provided by the Civil Aviation Authority in March.
Instead, union officials believe Heathrow will gain £217 million from changes to passenger fees rather than the estimated loss.
Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, said: “Heathrow has no justification for outsourcing these workers’ jobs, other than its own greed.
“It is peddling the same old tired myths about the need for cost savings. But in truth, it is one of the world’s busiest airports and it has been making money hand over fist since the pandemic. Unite will not sit back and let these members be exploited.”