The government and unions have faced further calls to reach an agreement to avert Border Force strikes over Christmas, after the home secretary warned action could cause “serious disruption” at airports.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union working at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff airports are due to strike for eight days between December 23 and 31 in a dispute over pay.
Trade associations united on Wednesday in calling for a resolution to avoid widespread cancellations and delays, with The Times reporting that airlines had been advised to cancel up to 30% of flights during the period.
An Airlines UK spokesman on Thursday added: “We urge all parties to work on reaching an agreement to avoid the need for industrial action at what is such an important time of year for many travellers.”
Home secretary Suella Braverman warned those with plans to travel abroad to “think carefully” about the potential impact of the strikes.
She said: “If they [PCS members] go ahead with those strikes there will be undeniable, serious disruption caused to many thousands of people who have holiday plans.”
A source told the BBC a letter from Border Force to airlines last week said it expected to be able to operate about 80% of 2019 flight levels in the event of the strikes going ahead.
Analytics firm Cirium said up to two million passengers are expected to arrive at the affected airports during the strike period, with more than 10,000 flight arrivals scheduled.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said on Wednesday the dispute would “escalate” unless the government was prepared “to put money on the table now”.
“The government cannot expect us to accept 2% when inflation is over 11%,” he said.
Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said responded: “This latest round of strikes could mean the return of travel chaos we saw when Covid restrictions were lifted and there weren’t enough staff to cope with demand for international travel.
“Christmas is an incredibly busy time for holiday makers and international travellers and these strikes will impact their plans and damage consumer confidence in the already suffering travel industry.”
Vim Vithaldas, chief commercial officer at The Travel Network Group said: “This is yet another challenging time for both the public and the industry. Consumers are keen to travel and take the trips with their loved ones that they haven’t been able to take over the past two years so this will concern many. And, as for the industry, this is just the latest in a long line of set-backs and disruptions that we’ve had to endure in recent years.
“Christmas is a busy time for travel so the strike news is understandably worrying for holidaymakers, especially those who have Christmas and New Year plans abroad. With airport representatives warning of flight delays and even cancellations, it’s imperative that travellers check with their holiday providers and have all the relevant insurances in place.”