UK strikes that could affect Easter plans if travelling abroad

Easter can be a busy time for travelling and this weekend, those who are on the move will need to be aware of the strikes going ahead.

To help you plan for your break, we’ve rounded up the strike action that could affect your travel plans.

UK strikes that could affect Easter getaways 2023

Passport Office

Some Passport Office workers are striking for five weeks (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Passport Office staff began a five-week strike on Monday, April 3 as part of a Civil Service dispute over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions.

This strike will see more than 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at eight sites walking out, with picket lines outside offices in Glasgow, Durham, Liverpool, Southport, Peterborough, London, Belfast, and Newport in Wales.

The action will continue until May 5 in England, Scotland and Wales.

How will this affect passports arriving over the next few weeks?

The Home Office said the Passport Office has already processed more than 2.7 million applications this year, adding over 99.7% of standard applications are being processed within 10 weeks with the majority of those delivered to customers well under this timescale.

Holidaymakers have been warned to allow 10 weeks for new passports if they’re travelling abroad this summer.

No plans are currently in place to change the official guidance that states it can take up to 10 weeks to get a passport.

Airport security

Some airport security guards at Heathrow are striking (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Heathrow security guards are currently taking part in a 10-day strike over pay, starting from Friday, March 31.

This may cause some disruption to flights over the Easter weekend.

Some 1,400 members of Unite began their action on Friday March 31 after talks broke down the previous evening.

Members have set up picket lines outside the airport.

The airport’s chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said last week: “Heathrow is operating as normal. If you’re travelling over the Easter period, don’t worry, you’ll have a good journey.”

This comes after British Airways announced it would be cancelling some flights to and from the airport due to the strike.

It said it would cancel around 32 flights per day to and from Heathrow over the Easter weekend.

A BA spokesman said: “Following Heathrow’s requirement for us to reduce the number of passengers travelling during the period of its employees’ proposed strike action, we’ve regrettably had to make a small number of adjustments to our schedule.

“We’ve apologised to customers whose travel plans have been affected and have offered them a range of options, including rebooking on to a new flight with us or another airline, or requesting a full refund.

“Our teams are continuing to work closely with Heathrow to ensure that our customers’ journeys run smoothly.”

Heathrow said it was putting “contingency plans” in place and drafting 1,000 extra staff – as well as its management team – into terminals to help passengers during the Easter getaway.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Heathrow can afford to pay a decent pay rise to its workers.

“Heathrow executives seem to think it’s acceptable to offer what amounts to a real-terms pay cut to its security guards and ground staff who are already on poverty pay.”

The strike is due to end at 11.59pm on Easter Sunday (April 9).