Travellers at Manchester Airport say they breezed through Passport Control - despite ongoing Border Force strikes.
Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) members working as Border Force officers at Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow airports - and the port of Newhaven - resumed strikes on Wednesday (December 28) that are set to last for four days.
Around 1,000 members of the PCS union, many of whom work in passport control at the impacted airports, are walking out from December 28 to 31 over pay, jobs, and conditions as the cost of living rises.
Despite the expected disruption and warnings of potential long waits, travellers going through Manchester Airport have shared their surprise at the lack of queues upon reaching passport control, with many passing through within a matter of minutes.
Civil servants are thought to have joined military personnel to cover absent striking workers at affected airports, including in Manchester. Travellers told the Manchester Evening News Royal Navy personnel ere in Terminal One to help process queues at passport control on Wednesday, with many complimenting how efficiently they whittled down the queues.
People have also been told by Manchester Airport that as a result of the strike action being taken by UK Border Force staff, pre-booked passport control 'fast track' tickets were unable to be honoured.
@yudoula tweeted on Wednesday: "Just back at @manairport from Greece expecting to queue up for hours, even been ‘warned’ by @easyJet to consider cancelling or altering my trip to avoid the strikes… it took us 10 mins to go through passport control, a RECORD timing thanks to our wonderful @RoyalNavy!"
As @isu112 posted: "@manairport #BorderForceStrike wow no words for it. The quickest I've been through passport control from landing at 17.50 to home 40 miles away in an hour and a half #Amazing."
@Khuramt1, another traveller, added: "Flew into Manchester Airport last night. Got through passport control in 10 minutes. Fastest ever. The Royal navy chap who processed us was friendly professional and had a bit on banter with us. Amazing service @HMSPWLS these guys know what they are doing."
@LawrenceDobie wrote: "Great job @RoyalNavy through border control at @manairport in under 5 minutes. Can we have you in charge of the border all the time?!"
And @capnjharkness tweeted: "So I’m not saying the military are better than border force… but it took me 5 minutes to go through immigration at Manchester airport this morning"
Passenger @Debbie26262489 said: "We have never been out of the airport as quick literally went through border control in minutes then by the time we got to the luggage carousel our cases where there we was off the plane and outside within 10 minutes. Fantastic job you are doing. Thank you."
Some passengers contacted Manchester Airport on Twitter ahead of their travel to ask about delays, and were told:"Waiting times at the border may, at times, be longer than usual. Whilst we do not have exact timings on how long queues may be, our teams in the terminals are on hand to support where possible and we are working with Border Force to reduce delays as soon as possible. Thank you."
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