Whitehall convened an emergency Cobra session on Thursday to finalise contingency plans for an eight-day walk-out by about 1,000 Border Force officers between 23 Dec and 31 Dec. Under the proposals, military personnel and civil servants will man passport desks at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports as well as the port of Newhaven. Training has already begun, officials said, echoing measures taken during the 2022 public-sector strike wave.
Airports have been asked to cap passenger numbers at 80 % of 2019 volumes, prompting carriers to consider schedule cuts. Business-travel associations warn that year-end audit trips and expatriate home-leave travel could face delays of up to three hours at immigration. Freight forwarders are also seeking clarity on whether priority lanes will be maintained for time-critical cargo such as pharmaceuticals.
Employers with internationally mobile staff should communicate likely delays, advise on alternative entry points (e.g., Eurostar or regional airports not affected) and remind assignees to carry up-to-date visa documentation in case of manual checks. Some relocation firms are already adjusting temporary-housing bookings to account for potential arrival slippages.
The showdown comes as public-sector unions press for inflation-matching pay rises. Analysts say the government wants to avoid scenes of holiday-season chaos that could dent its pro-business credentials.
Airports have been asked to cap passenger numbers at 80 % of 2019 volumes, prompting carriers to consider schedule cuts. Business-travel associations warn that year-end audit trips and expatriate home-leave travel could face delays of up to three hours at immigration. Freight forwarders are also seeking clarity on whether priority lanes will be maintained for time-critical cargo such as pharmaceuticals.
Employers with internationally mobile staff should communicate likely delays, advise on alternative entry points (e.g., Eurostar or regional airports not affected) and remind assignees to carry up-to-date visa documentation in case of manual checks. Some relocation firms are already adjusting temporary-housing bookings to account for potential arrival slippages.
The showdown comes as public-sector unions press for inflation-matching pay rises. Analysts say the government wants to avoid scenes of holiday-season chaos that could dent its pro-business credentials.
