Manchester Airport has warned passengers of potential flight cancellations and longer queues at immigration later this month. Christmas and new year, some of the busiest international travel periods, could face major disruption due to border staff strikes.
On Wednesday afternoon (December 7) bosses at the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union released the strike dates for their Border Force, passport and visa staff over Christmas.
The industrial action will take place on December 23, 24, 25 and 26, as well as 28, 29, 30 and 31 at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gatwick, Heathrow terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, Manchester Airports, as well as New Haven port. The Government has put 600 military personnel and civil servants on standby to deal with the potential disruption.
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Manchester Airport has said the strikes are set to disrupt 'one of the most important times of the year' for international travel. They also announced that airlines may cancel some services on the strike days and that travellers could face much longer queues at immigration.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport spokesperson said: "It is hugely regrettable that the PCS Union has chosen to disrupt one of the most important times of the year for international travel by calling a strike by Border Force officers at several UK ports, including Manchester Airport, for 23-26 December and 28-31 December. We urge union and Government representatives to work together to find a solution to avert this strike action.
“Over the next few days, we are expecting UK Border Force to give clear guidance to affected airports on the level of resources they can provide on each of the strike days. We will then work with our airlines to agree the flying schedule that we can operate safely.
“Unfortunately, we expect it will be necessary for airlines to cancel some services on the days impacted by strike action to ensure the number of arriving passengers aligns with lower UK Border Force resources.
“We will be working with our airlines to provide passengers with as much advance notice of cancelled services as possible, so that people have the chance to rebook their travel around the strike days.
“Arriving passengers should also be prepared for much longer immigration queues on strike days, owing to reduced Border Force staffing levels. Those due to travel during the affected period should look out for communications from their airlines over the coming days.”
The strike comes after 100,000 PCS members in 214 government departments and other public bodies voted to take strike action over a 10 per cent pay rise and a block on job cuts and reductions on pensions.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “The government can stop these strikes tomorrow if it puts money on the table. Like so many workers, our members are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. They are desperate."
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