Border force strike action could cause UK airports to close
22 December 2022, 19:49 | Updated: 22 December 2022, 19:50
Airports could shut in a worst case scenario during Border Force industrial action, a top official has suggested.
Border Force COO Steve Dann said robust plans were in place to limit the impact of the strikes but warned that "people should be prepared for disruption".
Mr Dann said he hoped to keep "most if not all" ports open during the walkout, which starts tomorrow.
Some 1,000 Border Force workers who are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union will be striking every day from tomorrow to the end of the year, apart from December 27.
Workers are striking due to a dispute over pay, jobs, and pensions at Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester airports, and the port of Newhaven, East Sussex.
Read more: Ambulance workers to stage two more strikes in January
Mr Dann said: "Border Force's number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure, that's something that we will not compromise on. It's non-negotiable.
"In anticipation of the strike action, Border Force has for a number of months undertaken extensive planning, and we've been working with the travel industry and continue to work closely with all UK ports to assess the impacts of the announcement on the travelling public.
"We do have robust plans in place to minimise delays to passengers, but we've been very clear from the start that people should be prepared for disruption and take action to plan ahead."
Passengers should contact travel firms or airlines they booked through to check whether their flights are operating as planned, he said.
There is concern that delays to passport checks for people arriving could result in long queues and even passengers being kept on planes, causing disruption for subsequent out-bound flights.
Volunteers from the Civil Service and military personnel have been trained to provide cover.
Mr Dann said: "Military personnel and volunteers from across the Civil Service have been trained to support Border Force at airports and ports through the strike period.
"We have a reasonable expectation that by using this contingency workforce, we will be able to deliver a service that keeps most if not all ports open."
He went on to say: "Our contingency workforce will not be able to operate with the same efficiency as our permanent workforce.
"As in the case with any industrial action, we simply will not know the levels of Border Force permanent officers who will report for duty each day and what the operational impacts might be."
Mr Dann said the law-enforcement command has been working "extensively" with the travel industry in order to "minimise the circumstances which can see travellers waiting excessive amounts of time or where operators and carriers might have to take short notice changes to schedules".
He said the force will "expect operators to make any adaptions" to make sure there's a "smooth flow of passengers".
Passengers are being urged to check with operators whether there's been a change to their service, use e-gates if possible, and be "kind and patient" with workers at Border Force.
