WARNING: Flying into UK Weds 30th Nov? Change your arrangements...
 

Weds 30th Nov. has been chosen by various public sector unions as a national day of action in response top government proposals to alter pension arrangements. The number of public sector employees expected to join the action is considerable (upwards of 2 million) and encompass numerous areas of the economy, from teaching and universities, various employees of the NHS (though not medical or clinical) and, more germane to this board, <b>immigration & border police</b>.

Heathrow for example are warning of <b>delays upto 12 hours</b> for passengers with arrivals unable even to disembark for hours.

Details here:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15884527

Dr D.

Good post, as a UK resident I agree that next Wednesday is going to be carnage up and down the country!

The latest on the BBC news here (noon GMT, Friday) is that airlines flying into Heathrow are being asked to prepare normal schedules but halve the number of passengers on each flight.

Thanks for the update.

Will see if I get bumped from my flight to LHR next Wednesday.
But I probably don't want to spend hours at Heathrow anyway..

I was wondering if changing my non-stop flight to LHR to one connecting in Dublin would help. (It will be a business trip so extra costs are not too much an issue)
But I can't remember if there is passport control when entering the UK from the ROI by plane or if those flight are handled like domestic ones...

3pm GMT - latest is BA & Virgin offering passengers the chance to change dates of flights for free.

I've just realised my brother and his wife are supposed to be returning to the UK after a cruise on the 30th. I assume they will be informed of the impending chaos on board, and be able to make alternative arrangements. I have no idea of how to get in touch with them, not even knowing the ship's name, so there is nothing I can do.

Last time they went on a cruise the ship was hit by Norovirus (The Marco Polo round Britain cruise in 2009). Now this. Could put them off for life ;).

Still could be worse - they could be on the Veendam.

Other UK airports don't seem to feel they will be so badly affected by the strike. Not sure about the ports.

cowboy - if you can change it to Dublin [or virtually anywhere else in the northern hemisphere] then do so.

hetismij - that's such bad luck for your brother and SIL. presumably they are flying back? if they are just docking in a ship, things shouldn't be that bad. it's Heathrow that looks as if it'll bear the brunt.

<i>cowboy - if you can change it to Dublin [or virtually anywhere else in the northern hemisphere] then do so. </i>

Won't work - only if they change to an Irish airport will they avoid the need to pass through immigration when they arrive in the UK.

my last rodeo like this was the Iceland volcano...

I was sure glad I had insuremytrip.com

got ALL my money back...

Wise to be very careful all over Europe right now

in a state of financial contagion bond market collapse.

Strikes unrest will be VERY common everywhere so

Caveat Emptor...

As Germany goes so goes the UK.US and the world

Nov 24, 2011 · German bond auction 'disaster' rocks markets. Nov 24, 2011 | Reuters | TOKYO; Tags: economy; market; ... FII pullout, weak rupee responsible for market crash: Pranab.

http://www.asianage.com/.../german-b...ks-markets-094

Hope Merckel can pull the fat out of the fire...

German bond auction 'disaster' rocks markets A failed German bond auction provided the clearest sign yet that even the strongest eurozone country is at growing risk ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/.../89108...disaster-rocks...

another heads up from the UK

qwovadis - i can't see what your last two posts have to do with this thread, but never mind.

The main problem for cowboy maybe that the stands at Heathrow are all full, no matter where he comes from. If planes can't clear their passengers the stands will be blocked so further incoming flights will also be blocked. Out going flights will also be hit as the plane from Amsterdam doesn't necessarily fly back to Ams - it may fly to Dub or Paris or anywhere, and if it is late because of the strike it has a knock on affect.
If you can book a flight to another London airport Cowboy then I would do that. They have more operating room than Heathrow, so the chaos shouldn't be so bad.

Yes my B and SIL are flying back from Miami on Wednesday. In theory at least.

The vast majority of those striking are in the paperworking shuffling departments, however, Heathrow and Gatwick are both suggesting this will be messy. I see many airlines are being supportive by offering free moves to Tuesday and Thursday.

Merkel has taken out five Prime Ministers so far with her rejection of joint responsibility within the Euro17. Next few weeks should see if the French/German axis can hold together.

hetismij --
Thanks for bringing in the thought that Heathrow may be jammed altogether. And that by-passing UK immigration via Dublin may not be the silver bullet.
Guess I will just skip this trip as I cannot reschedule the business-related event which is the cause for me traveling.

Maybe I will spend the saved time to solve the Euro crisis LOL

Flanner, Jaysus, enough already, when did this last happen??? I'm headed off to 40 hours devotion now and will pray for all scheduled to land in the UK on Wednesday from non-Schwegen destinations. LHR is never pretty and I cringe at the idea of what it will look like on Wednesday.

BC

If Ronald Reagan was Prime Minister he would fire all of those public service workers who fail to report to work. That worked for the air traffic controllers in the USA.

<If Ronald Reagan was Prime Minister he would fire all of those public service workers who fail to report to work. That worked for the air traffic controllers in the USA.>

And your point is?

<i>CaptainChas on Nov 28, 11 at 4:37am
And your point is?</i>

Public service employees who strike endanger the public and should be fired.

You seem to be confusing <i>endangering</i> and <i>inconveniencing</i> and then indulging in hyperbole. Well, I suppose that's the internets for you!

And I guess that sort of attitude - and reality - is why no intelligent European would wish to live in the USA :-)