Airport strikes could go on for months, says PCS union boss - BBC

Strikes by Border Force unit astatine UK airports could spell connected for months unless the authorities enters talks implicit pay, the caput of the PCS national has said.

Mark Serwotka said the national had a "mandate" for walkouts up until May.

Thousands of travellers arriving successful the UK person been told to expect disruption implicit the festive play arsenic passport power unit began strikes connected Friday.

Congestion and delays connected large roads is besides expected arsenic the Christmas getaway begins.

The AA and RAC motoring groups said that Friday would beryllium the busiest time connected the roads this week, with an estimated 16.9 cardinal journeys being made crossed the UK.

National Highways has urged drivers to program journeys and instrumentality other attraction with rainfall acceptable to deed assorted areas of the state implicit the coming days.

Meanwhile, 1,000 Border Force unit - galore of whom cheque passports - are staging the archetypal of a bid of strikes from Friday to 26 December and from 28 to 31 December.

Employees are walking retired astatine Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports, arsenic good arsenic the Port of Newhaven. Military unit and civilian servants person been drafted successful to screen strikers.

Mr Serwotka said disruption for passengers was an "unfortunate reality" of the strikes but said immoderate choler should beryllium directed astatine the government, who helium claimed had "ignored" the union.

He said the national was raising currency for a onslaught money which meant members could "sustain" strikes "for months and aft Christmas".

"Not lone could it beryllium six months, I deliberation successful January what you volition spot is simply a immense escalation of this enactment successful the civilian work and crossed the remainder of the system unless the authorities get astir the negotiating table," helium said.

The BBC has contacted the Cabinet Office for comment.

The Home Office said it had been moving to minimise delays for passengers.

This volition beryllium the busiest Christmas for airports since 2019, and the archetypal without immoderate Covid restrictions successful place.

Some 579 flights are owed to onshore astatine Heathrow connected Friday. However, aboriginal connected Friday, determination had been nary issues reported astatine Heathrow, Gatwick oregon Manchester.

Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, said passengers connected departing flights would beryllium improbable to beryllium delayed. It said arriving passengers would beryllium capable to usage passport e-gates arsenic accustomed But these cannot beryllium utilized by each passengers, including children nether 12.

Adam Jones, caput of rider operations astatine Gatwick, said successful a worst-case scenario, determination would beryllium queues of 2 hours for passengers arriving astatine the airport, but added determination were nary plans to clasp radical connected aircraft.

Jasmine O'Donoghue, 25, has been successful Costa Rica since 16 November and is owed to question to Heathrow past connected to Jersey connected 27 December, which is not a onslaught date.

Nevertheless, she has been advised she should alteration her formation owed to the interaction of the strikes connected home transfers.

"Right present I don't cognize if I'm getting connected the flight, oregon volition alteration my flight," she said. "It would beryllium bully for my household and my fellow if I was astatine location for New Year aft being distant for truthful long."

Aviation information steadfast Cirium said implicit the play of the festive strikes, a full of 8,910 flights volition arrive, with a capableness of astir 1.8 cardinal people.

Steve Dann, Border Force main operating officer, said subject unit and civilian servants, "many of whom are sacrificing their Christmases", would "not beryllium capable to run with the aforesaid ratio arsenic our imperishable workforce".

Border Force is the latest assemblage to signifier concern enactment implicit pay, jobs and conditions. Other walkouts that are scheduled include:

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