London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 24, 2025

Border Force staff at airports to strike over Christmas

Border Force staff at airports to strike over Christmas

Border Force staff are going on strike for eight days over Christmas at Heathrow, Gatwick and several other airports, the PCS union has announced.

About 75% of passport control staff are PCS members - and Heathrow has warned checks may take longer on strike days.

Thousands of other civil servants - including driving test examiners - will also be taking industrial action.

PCS boss Mark Serwotka said the strikes would "escalate" unless the government "put money on the table now".

Strikes at the Department for Work and Pensions and the Highways Agency have already been announced.

Mr Serwotka said that PCS members had "no option" but to strike, because they were "currently skipping meals, not being able to put the heating on at home because of the poverty they are living in".

The PCS general secretary has had talks with government ministers, but he said they were refusing to increase a 2% pay rise.

"They keep saying their door is open, but it is a very strange door because there's nothing behind it," he told a news conference.

About 1,000 Border Force staff are expected to walk out on eight days between 23 December and New Year's Eve at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gatwick, Heathrow (terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5) and Manchester airports, as well as at the port of Newhaven.

Christmas is a very busy time at airports and the strikes are likely to lead to longer queues at passport control.

In all, 86% of PCS balloted members voted in favour of strike action across 124 government departments and public sector employers.


What should I do if I'm travelling over Christmas?


*  Airports have advised travellers to check the status of their flights before travelling

*  The Home Office has said passport checks may take longer on strike days

*  The strikes are likely to affect people returning to the UK rather than departing

*  The length of delays will depend on how well the Home Office can fill the staffing gaps

*  If your flight is cancelled due to strike action, airlines must offer rebooking or a refund

Mr Serwotka warned the government against bringing in the military to cover for the strikes, saying there was not enough time to train them properly.

And he said the PCS would escalate industrial action in the New Year unless the deadlock was broken.

The strikes were "part of a targeted and sustained programme of industrial action that is designed to escalate each week unless the government is prepared to put money on the table now to deal with the poverty of its own workforce", he added.

Traffic officers at the National Highways Agency will take part in five weeks of rolling strikes across the country, with five of the strike days co-ordinated to coincide with the RMT's planned railway strikes.

Staff at the Rural Payments Agency, which deals with farmers, are also joining the industrial action.

A Home Office spokesperson said "passengers should be prepared for potential disruption".

"We will deploy suitable resource to meet critical demand and support the flow of passengers and goods through our border."

A Heathrow spokesperson said: "Our priority is to ensure passengers get through the border safely and as quickly as possible.

"We are working closely with airlines and Border Force on mitigation plans for potential strike action by Border Force officers and these plans will now be implemented for the notified days.

"The Home Office advises that immigration and customs checks may take longer during peak times on strike days, and Heathrow will support Border Force to minimise these impacts with the aim of processing passengers through the border as efficiently as possible.

"Passengers are advised to check their flight status with their airline before travelling. We encourage all parties to resolve this dispute quickly."

The airport pointed out that the workers involved in the strikes were employed by the Home Office, not Heathrow.

A spokesperson for Gatwick said the airport was "disappointed" that Border Force staff had decided to take strike action and hoped that a settlement could be found "as quickly as possible".

"We expect that flights will operate as normal and remain in regular contact with Border Force about their mitigation plans. Additional airport staff will also be made available to help with passenger welfare on strike days," the spokesperson added.

Consumer group Which? said the Border Force strikes will be "a huge worry to travellers, with thousands now anxious as to whether their Christmas plans could be left in ruins if flights are cancelled as a result".

"Airlines affected should work quickly to inform passengers of any potential changes to their booking because of strike action, and must not fail in their legal responsibility to offer travellers a refund or the option to be rebooked, including with other airlines if necessary," said Guy Hobbs, editor of Which? Travel.

There is a growing wave of industrial action in December as ambulance and healthcare workers prepare to join rail workers in striking over pay and conditions as the cost of living soars.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Wednesday that he would bring in "new tough laws" to curb the impact of strikes as he criticised "unreasonable" union chiefs.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
×