British airports have warned travelers of possible flight delays after a strike by passport control staff began today and is expected to last until the New Year, Reuters reports. However, Heathrow Airport reported no major disruptions.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said more than 1,000 civil servants from the Border Force were expected to join the protests.
Britain has been gripped by the biggest wave of protests in decades, following previous strikes by nurses, paramedics, and railway and postal workers. Dissatisfaction is related to pay and working conditions.
According to trade unionists, the border guards were offered a two percent salary increase. This is well below inflation, which reached 10.7 percent last month.
The Border Patrol apologized to passengers for the inconvenience and said it would work with its partners in the transport industry to ensure the flow of passengers and cargo.
Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, reported “minimum queues” in arrivals halls.
Gatwick, the country’s second-busiest airport, has said that from today until the end of the year, people should brace themselves for long waits for their passports to be processed. Although some disruptions are expected, flights are currently operating.
Ahead of the strike, which is expected to last until December 31 with only a break on December 27, the government said it was training civil servants and the military to help with passport control at airports and ports, BTA added.