Anyone planning to come into or leave the UK later this week may find that they are faced with long delays and disruptions.
Travel insurance subscribers eagerly looking forward to their holidays this week may find their trips do not quite get off to the flying start they hoped they would, since planned strike action is due to take place on Wednesday (November 30th).
According to the UK Border Agency, the four Home Office unions are taking part in this industrial action, which will have an impact on border control from the start of Tuesday evening until midnight on Wednesday.
While the organisation did note that it will be striving to keep any disruption to a minimum, the priority must be the security of the border and it went on to predict that there would be longer waiting times at some airports and ports, advising travellers to check with their carriers if they are going somewhere on strike day.
To assist the Agency and to keep queuing times down, passengers arriving in the UK are being asked to have landing cards at the ready and fully complete, use e-passport gates where available, stay in family groups and have passports and other travel documents to hand.
The Agency went on to state that over the last few weeks and months, significant work has been undertaken to prepare for the strike, including asking staff from overseas posts to provide extra cover on the day, training contractors, staff and managers to high standards and working with travel partners like port operators and airlines to identify potential pressure points.
Despite all these efforts, travel insurance customers are still facing long delays to the start of their holidays. Airports operator BAA has warned that some people arriving at London Heathrow - the busiest airport in Europe - could be kept waiting for up to 12 hours.
As a result, some airlines have been cutting back on flights into Heathrow.
By Dennis Clarke
Article content provided by Adfero Ltd - click
here for details
Most Recent Travel Insurance News Headlines:
