As the Union of Public Servants went on strike at midnight tonight border guards at Keflavík Airport left their posts, leaving passport control entirely in the hands of the Police which handles it jointly with the border guards. Fewer checkpoints will be open while the border guards are on strike. A spokesman for Isavia, which operates the Airport, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RUV that travellers can expect long lines at passport control.
RÚV reports that long lines formed this morning as passengers to the UK, US and Canada stood in line at passport control for as long as an hour.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
However, today’s lines could be dwarfed tomorrow, testing travellers’ patience. In recent weeks police officers have been calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays to draw attention to their demands for higher wages. When officers who work at the border checkpoints at Keflavík called in sick last week it caused long lines and significant delays. A spokesman for The Union of Public Servants told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the combined effect of the strike by the border guards and the “sympathy flu” among police officers could effectively close down the checkpoints.
People travelling within the Schengen area do not have to pass through passport control, and will therefore not be affected by the strike.
As the Union of Public Servants went on strike at midnight tonight border guards at Keflavík Airport left their posts, leaving passport control entirely in the hands of the Police which handles it jointly with the border guards. Fewer checkpoints will be open while the border guards are on strike. A spokesman for Isavia, which operates the Airport, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RUV that travellers can expect long lines at passport control.
RÚV reports that long lines formed this morning as passengers to the UK, US and Canada stood in line at passport control for as long as an hour.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
However, today’s lines could be dwarfed tomorrow, testing travellers’ patience. In recent weeks police officers have been calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays to draw attention to their demands for higher wages. When officers who work at the border checkpoints at Keflavík called in sick last week it caused long lines and significant delays. A spokesman for The Union of Public Servants told the local newspaper Morgunblaðið that the combined effect of the strike by the border guards and the “sympathy flu” among police officers could effectively close down the checkpoints.
People travelling within the Schengen area do not have to pass through passport control, and will therefore not be affected by the strike.
