TRAVELLERS have been asked to “think carefully” before flying abroad this Christmas amid ongoing strike disruption.
The call came from Home Secretary Suella Braverman who said industrial action over eight days by Border Force officials would cause “undeniable, serious disruption” for tens of thousands of people with holiday plans.
Passport checks at major airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester will be badly hit, with the Army being called in as back-up.
About 1,000 members of the PCS union will be walking out in a row over pay and conditions.
It comes as airports are the latest to face chaos at Christmas in fresh strikes misery.
A week of holiday walkouts by Border Force officials was announced.
The action will be a bitter blow to millions of people already suffering amid planned stoppages by rail and postal staff, as well as ambulance and healthcare workers.
Department for Work and Pensions and Highways Agency civil servants are also joining a wave of unrest over pay and conditions.
Around 1,000 Border Force staff, responsible for passport checks and immigration, are set to strike from December 23 to Boxing Day at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports.
And walkouts between December 28 and New Year’s Eve are planned.
