Warning over UK travel disruption and postal delays due to industrial action

Disruptions to Royal Mail and air and rail travel could impact travel between Ireland and the UK over Christmas as well as postal deliveries. 

An Post has advised people in Ireland to send any items as soon as possible.

The Department of Foreign Affairs advised that Irish citizens planning to travel to the UK should stay informed about the latest developments.

Border Force officers working at passport control in several large UK airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick in London, plan to strike on December 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31.

Other airports to be affected include Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. The strikes mean there could be significant delays and potentially cancellations of flights arriving in the UK on those dates.

Royal Mail workers will stage a fresh strike today (Sunday) in the long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are embroiled in an increasingly bitter row which has sparked a serious of walkouts.

More strikes are due to be held in the run-up to Christmas, which the union said will cause a huge backlog of mail.