For passengers flying from the Balearics to the UK this week for Christmas, the British government has issued a warning to people to be prepared for delays at passport control as a result of industrial action by Border Force.
The government has stated: “travellers who are planning to enter the UK during the proposed strike period may face longer wait times at border control.
Travellers should check the latest travel advice with operators before travelling.
Please be patient and respect officers who are working to keep the UK border safe and secure for all travellers during strike action.
We encourage all passengers eligible to use eGates to do so. Border Force strike proposed dates and locations”
Dates:
23 December
24 December
25 December
26 December (until about 7am)
28 December
29 December
30 December
31 December (until about 7am)
Locations:
Birmingham Airport
Cardiff Airport
Gatwick Airport
Glasgow Airport
Heathrow Airport - Terminals 2,3,4 and 5
Manchester Airport
Port of Newhaven
Our number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure for all travellers, and we will never compromise on this.
Military personnel, civil servants and volunteers from across government are being trained to support Border Force at airports and ports across the UK in the event of potential strike action. Border Force are ready to deploy resource to meet critical demand and support flow travellers through the border, however those entering the UK should be prepared for potential disruption.
Border Force and the travel industry work together very closely at a local and national level to agree plans for pressures while keeping the public safe.
Advice for passengers
Those who are due to travel into the UK during the proposed industrial action should be prepared to face longer wait times at UK border control.
All passengers should check the latest advice from their operators before travelling.
Please be patient and respect officers who are working to keep our citizens safe and border secure, and supporting travellers during the strike action.
We encourage all passengers eligible to use eGates to do so.
Please respect staff as we try and get you through the border as quickly and safely as possible. All forms of abuse and any inappropriate behaviour will be reported to the UK police.
Flights - impact of industrial action
We will work with operators and ports to understand the impact of industrial action on inbound flights.
Passengers travelling into the UK during strikes should check with their airlines for the latest travel information and advice.
Border wait times
As you’d expect, accurate queue time data can take some time to gather and check, however if you are travelling during the proposed strike dates be prepared for longer wait times.
There are multiple factors that might influence wait times including an increase in passenger numbers, flight delays and flight bunching. Weather delays, and other ad hoc incidents, can also impact border control queues.
We advise travellers to check with travel agents, tour operators, and airlines/carriers before travelling, to check if the proposed strike action will affect your journey.
Passengers can also check airport websites before travelling to stay up to date with the latest information related to travel or possible delays caused by strike action.
What we are doing to avoid disruption and queues at the border during the strike action
We continue to work closely with port operators and airlines to minimise disruption and delays at the border during any industrial action.
Border Force and the travel industry work together very closely at a local and national level and have regular meetings to agree plans for pressures while keeping the public safe.