It’s been on the horizon for a while, but it’s thought that over 150 airport workers will take part in a 48-hour walkout. The action will be a strike organised by the union due to pay issues.
According to the Birmingham Mail the strike is set for December 9th and could have a huge knock-on effect in both the Birmingham Airport and East Midlands Airport. Workers hope this on-going saga will soon be resolved, once they are ‘paid for their worth’.
Who is Going on Strike?
The source of the problem derives back to when the Swedish bag-handling firm left many of the UK airports. They were responsible for 1,700 jobs in London Gatwick, Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport, but the on-goings have shook up the running of airports since. Swissport took over proceedings and now have baggage staff set to strike. This means that check-in continuity will be detrimentally affected and it will have knock-on for the whole airport procedure, including security checks. It’s not the first time the broken relationship between staff and airports have slowed down the process this year, this same issue was the reason for a huge delay in September and a two hour wait for luggage in August. There’s been a staff-shortage for some time and with the underpaid workers having to double up on duties, they’ve finally decided to strike.
Should I still Travel during Delays?
It’s still possible to travel over Christmas, but it’s definitely worth bearing these troubles in mind. The most effected airport is Birmingham Airport, so if you are travelling from this hub, be ready for delays. Birmingham was recently voted as the fasted airport in the UK, so with some luck you won’t be waiting too long.
Ways to Help Yourself
In this helpless situation it seems as though there’s little you can do to speed things up. But organisation is still key in this instance, you will have to arrive beforehand and checking in may take longer. So get there on time, and follow our tips:
Check in Online
We’ve mentioned before how checking in online can be a life-saver. It will eliminate so much unwanted hassle and as you walk past the long check-in queue, you will be glad you did it from home. You can check-in 24 hours prior to your flight.
Birmingham Airport Parking
Getting on a bus or train during the Christmas period is ‘shooting yourself in the foot’, it will be another load of time waiting around and squeezing through crowds of people. Plan to drive yourself to the airport and park close-by, you can now save 72% on your parking with Birmingham Airport Parking discount codes.
Be Prepared
You now know about the possible delays, so stay patient and take enough snacks or money to ensure that you can eat while waiting. You will also be able to take some entertainment with movies on your tablet, phone or laptop.