30/11/11 UK Airport Disruption (The Strike Thread)
Yahoo News
Heathrow warns of major delays
A massive backlog of arriving passengers is anticipated at Heathrow this week as the UK prepares for what could be the biggest union action for more than 30 years.
The UK Border Agency is among groups of the British public sector that will strike on November 30.
Two million workers are expected to stage a 24-hour walkout in protest of chances to their pensions.
Heathrow operator BAA has told airlines to expect immigration queues so long that passengers may have to be held on planes after landing, the Associated Press reports.
Heathrow chief operating officer says this could create a "gridlock" with "mass cancellations of departing aircraft and diversions outside the UK for arriving aircraft".
Airlines have been asked to reduce the number of passengers they bring in on Wednesday.
Air New Zealand has only one flight due to arrive in London on the day of the strike; Passengers booked on flight NZ2 from Auckland to London via LA have the option of changing to a different flight for no fee.
The flight will still go ahead but the airline is in the process of calling passengers to outline their options.
A statement on Emirates' website says all flights to and from the UK on Wednesday "may be disrupted or forced to be cancelled".
It is asking its passengers to consider travelling on a different date.
Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Singapore Airlines are also urging their passengers to change flight dates unless they absolutely need to travel on that date.