BRITS are urged to not travel by train if they have to tomorrow because thousands of workers are on strike.
It has been reported that Network Rail plans to abandon their stations Wednesday with 14 operators.
Only 20% of train services are scheduled to run on Wednesday. Brits are advised not to travel on Wednesday.
This could disrupt the Women’s Euro 2022 semi final, which is being held at Milton Keynes.
During the first week of summer holidays, chaos and simultaneous walkouts will affect Britain’s transport infrastructure.
After 600 vehicles were removed from the M20, congestion clogged the Eurotunnel car depot in Folkestone.
It was a knock-on from the nightmare that gripped the Port of Dover on Friday and Saturday with ferries struggling to clear the freight backlog.
Ferry operator DFDS reported DoverThere were passengers “queues of around an hour”French border officials today issued travel advice as they conducted checks at the French borders.
They advised passengers to “allow a minimum of 120 minutes before your departure to complete all controls”Reports indicate that queues are less crowded.
Ryanair will also be in action this week, a further blow for Brits.
Read our travel delays live blog below for the latest news & updates…
BA pilots are threatening strike action
More misery is on its way for Brits as British Airways pilots threaten strikes over pay.
Pilots at BA were considering taking a ballot to strike last night after their bosses turned down a new pay agreement.
Martin Chalk, Balpa general secretary, said: “We are in talks with British Airways and wish to persuade them that continuing deductions from our members’ pay is unwarranted.
Given the inflationary situation, we should be discussing pay increases.
“Unless BA is prepared to walk with us down that road then we will have to consult with members to consider our next actions.”
British Airways spokesperson said: “We remain committed to continuing talks with the union.”
EasyJet announces outline
Cabin crew staff are expected to walk out from Friday, July 29 until Sunday, July 31.
In a dispute over wages, around 450 workers are expected to participate in the walkout.
It will affect flights at Barcelona’s El Prat airport, as well as Malaga and Palma de Mallorc
A spokesperson for the company stated: “There could be some disruption to our flying programme to and from Malaga, Palma and Barcelona during the strike period but at this stage, easyJet plans to operate its full schedule and we would like to reassure customers that we will do everything possible to minimise any disruption.”
Eurotunnel is available to holidaymakers for 21 hours
The Eurotunnel has become the center of British troubles as travel chaos continues to plague the UK.
According to a Guardian report, some Brits wait over 21 hours just to make it to the front of queues.
This is a large area where lorries are blocking the paths of holidaymakers.
Only one train in five will operate during strikes
Just one in five trains will run on strike days — with last services leaving by 6.30pm and disruption expected all week.
A Network Rail map reveals only half of the network will be operating, with no services to Chester, Bournemouth, Blackpool, and most of Wales.
Militant unions told rail users they should work from home for a week to avoid the impending travel chaos, which is set to cost the fragile economy £150million.
Some 50,000 drivers, staff and others will picket the lines to protest their low pay and poor conditions.
Ryanair workers will continue to strike this week
This week, the Spanish operations of the budget airline will experience more strikes.
The aviation company responded by saying: “Less than one percent of Ryanair’s flights have been affected in the past month by recent minor and poorly supported cabin crew strikes called by unions who are either not recognised by or who represent tiny numbers of Ryanair crews.”
It continued: “Air Traffic Control (ATC) and airport staff shortages across Europe, which are beyond Ryanair’s control, may however cause some minor disruption, and any passengers whose flights are disrupted by ATC staff shortages will be notified of their entitlements by email/SMS.”
AA warns travel chaos to jam Britain’s roads during warm months
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at AA, shared his concerns that delays could continue throughout the summer.
He explained: “We are concerned that we could be in for a repeat of this congestion across the summer.
“Drivers due to use both Dover and Folkestone to head into Europe on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday mornings between now and the reopening of schools may see a repetition of these delays.”
London Underground workers start a fresh strike
TUBE workers will be on strike again next month, causing chaos in travel for thousands.
London Underground staff plan to walk off on August 19 as a protest against the lack of jobs and pensions.
Today, the RMT announced that the move was made just weeks after a Tube strike had crippled capital.
Employees were asked to stay home as London Underground effectively shut down.
A new rail map shows that only half the services will be running this week.
RAIL bosses have unveiled a new map of misery showing how only half of Britain’s network will be open this week.
More than 50,000 railway staff will walkout in the biggest dispute on the network in 33 years.
The map below shows the lines that will continue to operate in and out London during the affected times.
Ryanair issues a warning to Brits
Ryanair’s boss has warned that the new Covid variants could pose problems for holidaymakers this year. Brits should not expect to pay for cheap fares much longer.
The scrapping of travel restrictions has allowed people to travel abroad at a higher level, boosting demand for flights.
However, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has called for caution, pointing to the country’s experience with the Omicron variant last year.
He said it should serve as a warning that autumn variants could still have an effect on people’s travel plans and in turn, the travel industry.
Mr O’Leary stated that while we still believe that Europe’s high rates of vaccinations will help the tourism industry recover and end Covid, it is important to recognize the possibility of new Covid strains in the autumn of 2022.
“Our experience with Omicron last November, and the Ukraine invasion in February, shows how fragile the air travel market remains, and the strength of any recovery will be hugely dependent upon there being no adverse or unexpected developments over the remainder of 2022-23.”
Transport for London reviews long-term funding settlement
Transport for London (TfL), says it is currently reviewing a proposal from the Government for long-term funding.
Since the pandemic, TfL was in financial difficulty and has been working on several short-term funding arrangements.
Andy Byford, London’s Transport Commissioner, said the long-term funding – if agreed – would provide much-needed certainty for those in the nation’s capital.
He said: “Since keeping London moving through the darkest periods of the pandemic we have been making the case to Government that there can be no UK recovery without a London recovery and that there can be no London recovery without a properly funded transport network.
“We are grateful for the support we have received so far, and maintain we have met every condition that has been set by Government as we have worked towards agreeing a multi-year funding settlement that would give certainty to London and to the tens of thousands of jobs across the country that are directly linked to TfL.”
What can you expect Thursday following a train strike?
- Most services will continue as usual
- The strike will affect services on Wednesday. They will be able to operate a minimum service from 08:00 until midday, and then resume normal service at noon. These include:
- London Overground
- The Elizabeth line
- District line – Wimbledon & Richmond branches
Strike date round-up
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association – July 27
Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains – July 30
RMT – August 18 and 20
Another airline had to cancel hundreds more flights
Another airline was forced to cancel hundreds more flights because of strike action.
Lufthansa, the German flag carrier, has confirmed that almost all their flights to Frankfurt and Munich will be cancelled tomorrow.
Airports including Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover and Stuttgart are also expected to be affected.
The cancellations have been caused by a strike from German ground staff.
The cancellations of 678 flights at the two main airports are expected to affect around 134,000 passengers.
The airline confirmed that affected passengers would be contacted for alternate flights, though this is likely to be limited.
British Airways Flights at Risk This Summer
British Airways pilots threaten to strike this summer, which could result in nearly all flights being grounded.
Pilots are threatening to walk out over a disagreement over wages, after taking a salary cut of 20 per cent in 2020 to prevent pandemic-caused job losses.
The strike comes just days after check-in and baggage staff were given a wage increase after threatening strike action, which was called off at the last minute.
Pilots are now putting pressure on their union Balpa (The British Airline Pilots Association) for a ballot of their own.
Union members claim that the airline refuses temporary pay cuts.
Instead, the pilots are seeking a pay increase, with travel returning to almost pre-pandemic levels this summer.
How do I check if my ATOL-protected refund voucher has been issued?
In July 2020, the ATOL scheme announced that consumers who accepted refund credit notes for cancelled ATOL-protected trips, would continue to be financially protected under the ATOL scheme.
This protection is available for refund credit notes issued between March 2020 and December 2021.
ATOL stands for Air Travel Organiser’s Licence and is a UK scheme that protects most package holidays.
It protects you in case your travel company goes bankrupt or there is an issue with your trip (as was the case during the Covid crisis).
You can check whether your holiday is ATOL protected by looking for the logo on the travel company’s website, shop window or brochure at the time of booking.
The logo and ATOL numbers should be displayed by members of the scheme.
Ask your travel agent for clarification or contact the company that you are booking.
You can also search the company’s name or ATOL number using the ATOL database.
Over £54 million of package holiday refund vouchers need to be used NOW
Many travelers are being encouraged to renew refund vouchers in order to avoid losing valuable protections on cancellations of holidays.
The Civil Aviation Authority has warned that those with credit notes from package holiday providers to act now as more than £50million remains unspent on these vouchers.
Travellers affected by flight cancellations during the height of the coronavirus pandemic have just weeks left to redeem or cash out their travel vouchers.
If customers don’t use their refund vouchers before September 30, they’ll lose ATOL protection – and if their travel provider goes bust they’ll lose the cash.
Michael Budge, head of ATOL at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Demand for travel is continuing to grow and we want to make sure travellers are making the most of the financial protection available to them.
“With more than £50 million of refund credit notes remaining unspent, this affects consumers booked with some of our biggest travel companies.
Anybody with a refund credit card note is advised not to cancel or make a booking before 30 September 2022. This will prevent them from putting their money at danger.
What can we expect for tomorrow?
- Planned strike on national rail lines
- TfL services generally run as usual
- Some TfL services which use Network Rail track may be affected
How much is it to cancel an easyJet plane and how far in advance should you do it?
If you cancel within 24 hours of booking you will receive a refund minus the cancellation fee, which is £49 online and £55 over the phone.
EasyJet flights cannot be canceled after 24 hours.
However, if you are suffering from a serious illness or a family loss and need to cancel your membership, please contact customer services.
They may waive the fee or give you a flight voucher that can be used within six months. Sometimes, you may need to show proof of your identity such as a death cert.
How can you cancel an easyJet ticket?
To cancel an easyJet flight, you need to go to the easyJet website.
To cancel a flight reservation, go to Manage Bookings. Log in using your surname or booking reference. “Cancel”.
You can pay a cancellation fee if you are asked. Enter your card payment details and your flight will be cancelled.
Customers may also call the easyJet customer support team at 0330 365 5000.
You can also cancel your flights at the easyJet Help Desk at all airports, but it must be less than two hours prior to take-off.
Your flight will be fully refunded if it is cancelled due to a Coronavirus travel ban.
If you decide not to fly because of personal safety concerns, but the flight goes ahead, you will not be entitled to any refund.
“We should really be talking about raises in pay”
Martin Chalk, Balpa general secretary, said: “We are in talks with British Airways and wish to persuade them that continuing deductions from our members’ pay is unwarranted.
“We should really be talking about raises in pay given the inflationary environment.
“Unless BA is prepared to walk with us down that road then we will have to consult with members to consider our next actions.”
There are huge lines at Bristol and Manchester airports for holidaymakers
Hundreds of passengers waited in long lines at Bristol and Manchester airports yesterday.
And more misery is possible as British Airways pilots threaten strikes over pay.
Pilots at BA were considering taking a ballot to strike last night after their bosses turned down a new pay agreement.
Hard-pressed holidaymakers already experiencing cancellations and delays at the airports could be subject to industrial action.
Pilots at BA agreed to temporary pay reductions in 2020 in order to avoid mass redundancies due to the Covid pandemic. However, no end date was set.
The airline endured a devastating two years which saw the business lose more than £4billion. Pilots received a five percent pay bonus earlier in the year.
Now pilots’ union Balpa is demanding proper pay rises for its members as BA returns to profitability, saying the airline “seems to ignore you until you issue a [strike] ballot”.
Liz Truss pledges to limit the power of trade unions to ‘paralyse’ the economy
Liz Truss pledges to do “everything in her power”You can ensure “militant action”The trade unions cannot take over. “paralyse”If she wins the Tory leadership election, the economy.
The Foreign Secretary announced several measures that would prevent trade unions causing disruption on national services, such as strategic rail routes.
Ms Truss indicated that her government would introduce legislation within the first thirty days of Parliament if she becomes prime Minister at the start of September to guarantee minimum service on critical national infrastructure.
With each industry, there would be tailored minimum thresholds that include staffing levels.
By raising the threshold at which union members can vote in support of strike action, from 40% to 50%, she would ensure that strike action is supported by a significant number of members.
The minimum notice period for strike action would increase from two to four weeks. A cooling-off period would also be implemented so that unions cannot strike as often as they want in the six-month period following a vote.
Ms Truss would also end members receiving tax-free trade union payments on days they are striking.
She stated that “we need to take tough and decisive actions to limit the ability of trade unions to paralyse this economy.”
“I will do everything in my power to make sure that militant action from trade unions can no longer cripple the vital services that hard-working people rely on.”
Port of Dover hanging ‘knife edge’
Holidaymakers have been warned the Kent port is on a “knife edge” as the country’s travel mayhem entered its third torturous day.
A “critical incident” was declared at Dover on Friday, with holidaymakers told to arrive six hours early for ferry queues lasting up to five hours.
A ramp up of post-Brexit border checks and French authorities’ understaffing checkpoints have been blamed for the hold-ups.
Ministers are being urged to deal with the matter by local authorities. “national problem”Instead of the “sticking plaster” approach.
Brits queue for hours at UK airports – just as school holidays start
Almost a million holidaymakers were expected to leave the UK on flights this weekend.
Long queues could be seen at Heathrow and Bristol airports.
And Manchester and Stansted also struggled with an influx of arrivals.
Social media was awash with complaints of lost luggage not being recovered.
Manchester holidaymaker tells us: “We were packed in like sardines. It was mayhem.”
Click here to read more.
Brits queue for hours at UK airports – just as school holidays start
Almost a million holidaymakers were expected to leave the UK on flights this weekend.
Long queues could be seen at Heathrow and Bristol airports.
And Manchester and Stansted also struggled with an influx of arrivals.
Social media was awash with complaints of lost luggage not being recovered.
Manchester holidaymaker tells us: “We were packed in like sardines. It was mayhem.”
Click here to read more.