Public sector strike could ‘paralyse’ Heathrow

A NATIONWIDE public sector strike in Britain next Wednesday threatens to paralyse operations at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport.

BAA, the airport’s operator, said 12-hour delays for arriving passengers are likely because the November 30 strike will hit the British Border Agency’s ability to support normal operations.

Airlines were warned of “mass cancellations” of departing aircraft.

An estimated two million workers are expected to protest changes in public sector pensions with a 24-hour walkout — billed as potentially the biggest union action since 1979.

The lines at Heathrow’s immigration counters are expected to be so long that passengers will need to be held on planes.

“This in turn would quickly create gridlock at the airport, with no available aircraft parking stands, mass cancellations of departing aircraft and diversions outside the UK for arriving aircraft,” Normand Boivin, the chief operating officer for Heathrow, warned in a letter to airlines.

The letter urged airlines to reduce the number of passengers they bring in on November 30 because BAA had “reluctantly concluded that the UK Border Agency wouldn’t be able to come up with a contingency plan to ensure business-as-usual.”

Boivin said the border agency expects to be functioning at less than 50% of normal productivity.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways both agreed to waive fees for rebooking flights on November 30 and expressed concern over the strike’s impact on business.

Government ministers warn the strike could cost the economy half a billion pounds and lead to job losses.

Heathrow Airport handles 180,000 passengers on a typical day.

Gatwick Airport also warned passengers to be prepared for “significant disruption” at immigration and said it asked carriers to give passengers the chance to change their flights.