During the Christmas/New Year season, there may be strikes in a number of UK industries, including public transportation, hospitals, and ambulance services.
The UK Border Force will likewise be on strike from December 23 to December 31. Keep up with local guidance and prepare for delays. Workers who would usually be on hand to do passport checks and help with arriving travellers are set to strike at six airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and the port of New Haven.
The strike is planned to start on 23 December and will last until the end of the year, with the exception of 27 December only.
Potential scenarios include long queues for passport control. This in turn means passengers may face a delay when disembarking their plane, so they could be held on the aircraft for longer.
Arriving passengers should also be prepared for much longer immigration queues on strike days, owing to reduced Border Force staffing levels. About 1,200 members of the military are to be drafted in to cover for striking ambulance and Border Force staff in the UK.
Cancellations of both arrivals and departures are being considered too, and some incoming flights could be re-timed, to minimise these delays.
On 23 December, passengers arriving into Heathrow airport will experience a major impact to operations.
Security staff at Eurostar will strike on 22 and 23 December. Eurostar operates passenger rail services linking London to Paris and other European capitals.
We have been notified of forthcoming 48 hour strikes which will affect the network nationally from 24 until 27 December. This is likely to affect most train companies across Britain. The rail industry is working hard to minimise the effect that this will have on services but it is inevitable that services will be cancelled or severely disrupted. It is likely that there will be a very limited service on these days with no trains at all on some routes. Services may also start later on days following the end of the strike action.
All passengers should check the latest advice from their operators before travelling. Allow extra time for airport and port check-in and security control. Ensure all passport and visa documentation is in order and prepare for longer lines at passport checks.