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UK warns arrivals from Europe to ‘expect delays’ due to border force strike

The UK government has warned that people arriving into the country from Europe over Christmas should expect delays and disruption as border guards go on strike from Friday.

Published: 22 December 2022 11:22 CET
Updated: 23 December 2022 08:24 CET
UK warns arrivals from Europe to 'expect delays' due to border force strike
Photo by Ben FATHERS / AFP

The UK Border Force begins a strike on Friday, December 23rd, that is expected to cause major delays and disruption at airports and some ports.

Travellers were warned in a statement: “While the government is taking action to minimise disruption, travellers due to arrive in the UK over the Christmas period are warned to expect delays and disruption over the strike action affecting border control.

“Passengers should be prepared for longer wait times and should check with their travel agents, tour operators and airlines/carriers about possible disruptions to their journey prior to travelling.

“Our eGates will continue to function as per normal and we encourage all those eligible to use them to do so, as the quickest and most efficient way to pass through border control.”

The Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents the majority of border staff at airports, has called a strike between December 23rd and 31st, not including December 27th.

READ ALSO Do UK border strikes affect ferries, trains and the Channel Tunnel?

It is part of a wave of strikes hitting the UK as workers including nurses, paramedics, postal staff and rail workers strike for pay rises to help them cope with the soaring cost of living.

The disruption is expected to be concentrated at airports, although the ferry port of Newhaven is also affected, and is likely to lead to extremely long queues at passport control – some are predicting waits of up to 10 hours.

Affected sites are; Birmingham Airport, Cardiff Airport, Gatwick Airport, Glasgow Airport, Heathrow Airport – Terminals 2,3,4,5, Manchester Airport and Port of Newhaven.

It could also cause some flight cancellations and delays if passengers are not able to disembark at UK airports – travellers are advised to check with their airline before going to the airport.

The UK government has drafted in some members of the military to help run passport control, but this is likely to be a very limited service. 

Those travelling to the UK should also be aware of significant disruption on the railways, also due to strike action. 

You can find full details of travel between France and the UK HERE, or head to Local sites in Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria and Denmark for the latest on travel.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Labour Day: What’s open and what’s closed in Italy on May 1st 2024

Wednesday, May 1st will mark Italy’s Labour Day. But how will shops, transport services and museums be affected by the public holiday?

Published: 26 April 2024 15:33 CEST
Labour Day: What's open and what's closed in Italy on May 1st 2024

First established back in 1890 to celebrate workers’ rights and the achievements made by Italian trade unions, Labour Day (or Festa del Lavoro) is a national public holiday in Italy, meaning a day off for many around the country.

Generally speaking, much of Italy tends to grind to a halt on public holidays and Labour Day is no exception as some services will be significantly limited or, at times, even unavailable on the day.  

But what exactly can you expect to find open, or closed, next Wednesday?

Public transport 

Most local public transport companies in the country will operate on a reduced timetable (also known as orari festivi) on May 1st, with the quality and frequency of services during the day likely to vary significantly between rural and urban areas, as well as between cities.

Areas that are usually served by just the occasional bus may see stripped-to-the-bone services on Wednesday, whereas parts of the country that already have robust public transport networks should keep them fairly active.  

Having said that, Labour Day transport services in both urban and rural areas may experience delays and/or cancellations this year due to a 24-hour general strike involving staff from public and private operators around the country.

There’s currently little information available as to exactly how the walkout will affect travel on Wednesday and what level of disruption passengers can expect, though further details are expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout. 

You can keep up with all the latest updates in our strike news section. 

Rail and air travel

Much like public transport services, regional and local trains will run on fairly reduced timetables on Wednesday, whereas most interregional and long-distance high-speed trains will run on standard weekday timetables. 

However, the normal operation of these services may be affected by the above-mentioned 24-hour general strike. 

As for air travel, inbound and outbound flights shouldn’t be affected by the strike, according to the latest reports. 

Schools and offices

Public schools in all Italian regions will be closed on May 1st. 

Pupils in Molise and Liguria will enjoy a longer break as they’ll be home from school on Monday, April 29th and Tuesday, April 30th as well.

As it’s usually the case on national public holidays, offices in both the public and private sector (this includes banks, post offices, town hall desks and CAF fiscal assistance centres) will be closed. 

Tourist attractions

Most state-run museums and archaeological sites, including Florence’s Galleria dell’Accademia and Rome’s Colosseum, will be open on Wednesday, though some may have slightly reduced hours, which is why it’s advisable to check the opening times in advance if you have a specific site you want to visit in mind. 

Privately run museums, galleries or collections may be closed on the day.

Pasticcerie, panifici and restaurants

Some panifici (bakeries) and pasticcerie (pastry shops) in major cities may remain open on Wednesday morning to allow customers to buy bread and sweets for their Labour Day lunch.  

Many restaurants will remain open on Labour Day to welcome the families who choose to dine out for the holiday. But if you’re planning on eating out on that day, it’s advisable to make a reservation in advance to avoid any unpleasant surprises later on.

Shops and supermarkets

Many supermarket chains around the country will have limited opening hours on Wednesday. For instance, some may open around 9 in the morning and then close in the early afternoon.

Most mini-markets will remain completely closed instead. 

Most shops in non-urban areas will be closed on Wednesday, whereas businesses in big cities around the country may open for either the morning only or the afternoon only.

Doctors and pharmacies

GPs’ clinics will be closed on Wednesday. 

However, should you be in need of an urgent appointment, you can ask to see a doctor from Italy’s Guardia Medica, a medical care centre that operates outside of GPs’ normal working hours and on weekends, or visit your local hospital’s ER (pronto soccorso).

Should you need to buy medicines or pick up a prescription, pharmacies in Italy operate a rota system during national holidays to ensure that at least one is open in each area. 

To find the nearest one, Google farmacia di turno plus the name of the municipality (or comune) you find yourself in.

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