UK passengers start travelling ahead of Xmas Eve rail strike

Military personnel standing in for striking UK passport control staff appeared to minimise feared disruption on Friday, despite an escalating public sector fight for more pay. Around a quarter of a million passengers were due to arrive at the six airports affected by the Border Force officers' stoppage, ahead of the Christmas holiday weekend.

Around 1,000 workers at Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester, and the southern port of Newhaven, took part in the stoppage organised by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS). They will walk out every day for the rest of the year, except December 27, following stoppages this week by nurses and ambulance workers.