CallMeIshmael - 29/06/2011 14:02 GMT
For those travelling into UK this Thursday 30th June, plan for a long wait at immigration & customs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13953678
UK Immigration & Custom Delays
Posts
VintageKrug - 29/06/2011 14:17 GMT
It's good to give a heads up about this, but I don't foresee it impacting things hugely.
For a start many airports have the IRIS or e-gates system installed, for those registered/eligible. These will be supervised by management.
So it's not likely to have a huge impact on business travellers; more likely to impact leisure travellers, hard working families etc.
Additional people have been brought in from elsewhere to handle the reduction in manpower.
Many PCS (I think that's the union involved?) employees will still turn up to work, recognising the futility of striking, and the benefits of supporting their employer through leaner times.
Either way, this demonstration of impotence will do nothing to further the appropriately remunerated Public Sector employees' desire to live out retirement at the expense of private sector employees.
Change is needed and it can't come soon enough!
Storm in a teacup.
Binman62 - 30/06/2011 08:33 GMT
Given some of the queues experienced when working normally I wonder if anyone will notice any difference.
I do however support the action.
Charles-P - 30/06/2011 09:43 GMT
Feedback from my sister who came through Heathrow this morning,
"Usual length of queue, staff as surly as ever. No delays"
ivornomates - 30/06/2011 10:01 GMT
CANT GET JOB ? no vacancy for stacking shelves at Tesco, collecting trolleys in the car park at B&Q, no chance of flipping burgers at McDonalds, then why not get a job as a customs officer where you can be as rude as you like to people and get paid for it.
Globalti - 30/06/2011 11:06 GMT
I have no sympathy for this action. The liabilities of pension funds are outstripping their assets massively all over the world and people need to understand that they must agree to increased contributions and reduced benefits if the scheme is not to bankrupt the employer.
HonestCrew - 30/06/2011 12:44 GMT
I never understand the surliness of our immigration staff.
Maybe by giving a cheerful "good morning, sir" puts the visitor at ease, making illegals harder to spot. Who knows?
...and the next person who tries and fails to pass through the IRIS gates saying "oh, do I need to register?" is likely to get a mouthful from me if I'm in the queue behind them!
Every blinkin' time.
DisgustedofSwieqi - 30/06/2011 15:05 GMT
The Iris gates have been removed from LGW south and are not coming back.
Is this the thin end of the wedge?
Charles-P - 01/07/2011 08:06 GMT
I came through Eurotunnel terminal in France yesterday in my car. No delays at all. The border officer I spoke with said only a tiny minority had gone on strike and that most staff saw the pension changes as "inevitable so why lose a day's money"
AlanReynolds1 - 01/07/2011 09:31 GMT
I came through Gatwick North at 11.00 yesterday. Desks were staffed and almost no queues. IRIS is still operational there and I used it. I thought we came through the airport more quickly than usual. I suspect management grades were manning the service, as the junior staff were those more likely to be members of the striking TU the PCS.
KeaneJohn - 01/07/2011 13:09 GMT
Interesting comments as the tweets that I saw from Heathrow indicated that all was running smoothly but in the Torygraph(London Evening Standard) it advised there were queues of an hour to join a two hour queue for Immigration at LHR for non EU Passport Holders whilst the EU line was empty.
It also said that there was no fast track facilties open for Premium Passengers and that business travellers were having major strops at having to line up.
I wonder who is right.
VintageKrug - 01/07/2011 13:21 GMT
I spoke to someone who came through LGW S about 4pm yesterday; they said it was busier than usual, though they had access to fast track so in fact were through in minutes.
I think even the worst of UK Border lines aren't as bad as many country's typical wait times - an hour isn't uncommon at many airports outside the UK, and even with this action people were getting through faster than that.
Binman62 - 05/11/2011 09:06 GMT
The news that senior staff at the border agency have been suspended must surely be greeted with enormous concern by regular travellers. This summer has seen horrible queues at the major entry points with even EU passport holders having to endure waiting times of over 30 minutes mins regularly. Non EU passport holders have had even worse experiences.
Now we learn that this chaotic situation was actually much better than it could have been had the alleged instruction to limit checks not been given.
One can only be conned about what the queuing will be like in the months to come.
The home secretary, who never has to use the normal routes of entry and so does not see or experience this unacceptable situation is apparently furious that the checks were reduced. Pity she could not be furious on behalf of the travellers who have to endure this welcome to Britain..........but it will surely be the fault of others and probably trades unions.
Capetonian - 05/11/2011 09:33 GMT
As a frequent traveller, I am pleased to hear that senior staff at UKBA have been suspended and whilst I appreciate that short term it will worsen an already bad situation, the long term benefits will be significant.
Here's my recent experience. I arrived at Heathrow on a flight from Iran. I presented myself at the UKBA booth with my passport open on the photo page and said 'good morning' to the woman official, who was engrossed in a personal conversation with her colleague in the other seat in the booth., ('So he was like, and she was like ... and 'es been carrying on too yer know ....... and they got kids ....'). She glanced at my passport, held it under the UV and handed it back without looking at me or acknowledging my greeting. I asked her why she hadn't looked at me and she said she had. I knew perfectly she hadn't. I told her that whilst not acknowledging my greeting was simply bad manners, her failure to look at me and do at least a cursory visual check was negligence. I reported the incident.
If heads roll at all levels, good.
The UK is full of illegal immigrants, fraudsters, benefit cheats, and so on, many of whom should never have been let in if checks were carried out properly.
LPPSKrisflyer - 05/11/2011 09:52 GMT
Perhaps a few letters to Teresa May hoping she vents her fury on sorting out the mess which is UK immigration are needed? In particular reducing the waiting time for EU citizens as it is now a national embarrasment.
Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Home Secretary
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
RichHI1 - 05/11/2011 09:53 GMT
Interesting if you read the details. Looks to me like more Scapegoating from incompetent politicians. The British Home Office sent out instructions to cut back on inspections on Europeans and now they get all shirty because the agency decided to also cut back on some non Europeans. Obivously more important to double check Commonwealth Citizens and let Eastern Europeans in without checks...
Theresa May is the one who should be suspended, so she can spend more time with her cats...
Bunnahabhain - 05/11/2011 11:23 GMT
Or just have the booths staffed by the cats. They might not look at you either or could be asleep, but at least won't be gossiping to the one next door.
RichHI1 - 05/11/2011 11:27 GMT
And we are not making this up !!! ;-) For once Ken Clarke was on the money.
DisgustedofSwieqi - 05/11/2011 11:46 GMT
LMAO as a Schengen resident.
The UK borders are sooooooo much more secure, aren't they?
