Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

UK braces for Christmas airports chaos as Border Force strike set to begin

UK braces for Christmas airports chaos as Border Force strike set to begin

Delays in checking incoming passports could lead to long queues or people being held on planes
Passengers are being warned to brace for Christmas travel chaos on Friday as a Border Force strike begins.

Around 1,000 members of the PCS union who staff passport booths will walk out, bringing disruption to major airports such as Gatwick and Heathrow.

The action is expected to bring delays to around 250,000 incoming passengers at the busiest Christmastime for airports since 2019.

Heathrow - the UK’s busiest airport, where some 579 flights are due to land on Friday - could be the worst affected.

Around 10,000 passengers are due to arrive before 7am alone, with the first flight - a British Airways service from Cape Town - due to land at 4.45am.

Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester airports, as well as the port of Newhaven are also affected. Picket lines will be mounted outside.

Delays in checking the passports of arriving passengers could lead to long queues and even people being held on planes, delaying departures.

Border Force head of operations Steve Dann earlier conceded that military personnel and civil service volunteers will not be enough to limit the disruption.

He said that while “robust plans” were in place, “contingency workforce will not be able to operate with the same efficiency as our permanent workforce".

Electronic passport gates will remain open but they cannot be used by all passengers, such as children aged under 12.

Industrial action by National Highways staff will also continue Friday, while the country’s rail network is set to come to a complete standstill on Christmas Eve due to strikes.

The Border Force strikes will continue from December 23 until New Year’s Eve with the exception of December 27.

Around two million passengers are estimated to be booked to fly into the affected airports during the walkouts.

It comes amid a long-running dispute with the Home Office over pay, pensions and conditions.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka told people affected by disruption to direct their anger at the Government.

"The Government could stop these strikes tomorrow if it puts more money on the table," he said. “Like so many workers, Border Force employees are struggling with the cost of living crisis. They are desperate."

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: "It’s the uncertainty that is worrying passengers, as they have no idea how the strikes will impact their arrival experience.

"Many are likely to face longer queues and delays during this festive period, and some could find themselves stuck on arriving aircraft before being allowed into the terminals.

"Let’s hope that border officials can process all passengers smoothly and without worry."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
×