Britain set for biggest strike in decades

Posted 30/11/2011

Britain is set to experience its biggest strike since 1926 today when 2 million public sector workers walkout over pensions.

Airports are expecting major disruption at border controls as immigration staff join the protest.

BAA has warned it could take arriving passengers up to 12 hours to clear immigration, which will have a knock-on effect on arriving and departing flights.

To avoid the disruption, some airlines have cancelled flights into the UK today.

Emirates has cancelled EK029 from Dubai to London Heathrow and EK030 from London Heathrow to Dubai.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has also cancelled three of its London services due to operate today.

Other carriers, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific, have been advising passengers due to land in the UK today to re-book for alternative dates to avoid the risk of lengthy queues at immigration.

Meanwhile, easyJet has drafted in more than 350 volunteer staff who have agreed to help arriving passengers.

The volunteers, including pilots, cabin crew and airline management, will help provide passengers with information, assist families and passengers with special needs as well as offloading luggage from the baggage belts to prevent congestion.

The airline said it plans to run a full schedule of flights and continues to work closely with the UK Border Agency and the airports on their contingency plans.

Catherine Lynn, easyJet’s customer and revenue director, said: “Our passengers have asked us to try to keep them flying tomorrow and so we are all pulling together to try and make this happen.”

Britain’s schools, hospitals, ports and government offices are also being effected and more than 1,000 demonstrations are planned across the UK.



by Bev Fearis

Originally published 30 Nov 2011 at: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/398/f/5923/s/1a86ebc1/l/0L0Stravelmole0N0Cstories0C1150A4760Bphp0Dmpnlog0F1/story01.htm