Border Force strikes: How could they affect Christmas travel plans?

Passengers arriving at some of the UK’s major airports over the festive season could face long queues as Border Force staff go on strike.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has announced industrial action from 23 December until the end of the year, with the exception of 27 December.

It comes at the same time as widespread railway walkouts, after the RMT union announced 12 strike dates across December 2022 and January 2023.

So how might this latest announcement affect your Christmas and New Year journeys? Here’s everything you need to know.

What’s happening?

In a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the people who normally check passports and assess arriving travellers will walk out at the three biggest airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester. They will also strike at Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports.

How will airports be impacted?

At less busy airports (and the relatively quiet port of Newhaven, where UK Border Force are also planning to walk out) there will be longer queues but no great disruption to operations.

But at busier airports with constrained space – notably Heathrow – the fear is that long queues could lead to passengers being held on planes rather than disembarking.

This could trigger delays for incoming and departing aircraft, putting pressure a system that has little spare capacity and possibly leading to cancellations and diversions.

What sort of mitigation will be in place?

The transport minister Baroness Vere said the army would be brought in to ensure airports would remain open.

“All sorts of different people will be, or actually have been, trained,” she told a conference in London.

“There will be disruption and it will be important for us to communicate that to passengers.”

The army is to be deployed under the “military aid to the civil authorities” (Maca) policy.

It applies when “there is a definite need to act”, after “other options” have been discounted and when “the urgency of the task requires rapid external support”.

Ministers and officials at the Department for Transport and Home Office have also been in talks with airport operators and airlines to plan a response.

What does Heathrow say?

A spokesperson for the UK’s busiest airport said: “Our priority is to ensure passengers get through the border safely and as quickly as possible.

“We are working closely with airlines and Border Force on mitigation plans for potential strike action by Border Force officers and these plans will now be implemented for the notified days.

“The Home Office advises that immigration and customs checks may take longer during peak times on strike days, and Heathrow will support Border Force to minimise these impacts with the aim of processing passengers through the border as efficiently as possible.

“Passengers are advised to check their flight status with their airline before travelling. We encourage all parties to resolve this dispute quickly.”

What are my rights if my flight goes wrong?

Normal European air passengers’ rights rules apply. If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to be flown to your destination as soon as possible, if necessary on another airline. The carrier that cancels your flight must also provide a hotel and meals if necessary while you wait to travel. But no cash compensation is payable.

Assuming I can get across the border on time, when are the train strikes happening?

The RMT union has announced that more than 40,000 workers across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will stage a series of walk-outs during December and January.

The industrial action will take place on 13, 14, 16 and 17 December; from 6pm on 24 December until 7am on 27 December; and on 3, 4, 6 and 7 January.

Most UK train services do not run on 25 and 26 December anyway, but those aiming to travel by rail to see loved ones either side of Christmas Day will be affected.

The RMT has also issued an overtime ban for its members across the railway network from 18 December to 2 January.

Will this affect the time it takes to get a passport renewed?

No. Issuing and renewing passports is the responsibility of a different branch of the Home Office, HM Passport Office.