Holidaymakers are bracing themselves for half-term holiday disruption as Border Force staff go on strike again amid security fears.
The PCS union expects around 1,000 members at Dover, Dunkerque, the Channel Tunnel and Calais to be out on February 17 and 20 in a protest about pay.
Getting through passport controls, manned by the military and civil servants will take longer, the Government has warned.
Steve Dann, Border Force’s chief operating officer, said safety and border security was a priority, and the organisation was working with its French counterparts and the travel industry to “meet critical demand and support the flow of passengers and goods through our border”.
According to the BBC, Abta, the trade association for travel businesses, said bookings had been ramping up over the last few months.
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But most half-term holidaymakers would travel by plane – for example, to places like the Canary Islands and mainland Spain, said ABTA.
Previous strikes by Border Force staff at six UK airports over Christmas did not cause significant delays or disruption.