Several police officers who work in passport control at Keflavík Airport have called in sick, causing significant delays at border checkpoints. Due to strikes no border guards are at their posts, only three police officers handle passport control. Passengers exiting or entering the country from outside the Schengen-area can expect to stand in line for a long time.
Only three officers on duty
Border guards at the Keflavík Airport are members of the Union of Public Servants, which went on a two-day strike on Thursday, leaving passport control entirely in the hands of Police. As police and border guards handle passport control jointly the strike meant that just about half of the checkpoints could be manned.
Read more: Impact of strikes will be felt throughout Icelandic society
The strike caused flights to be delayed by as much as an hour yesterday as passengers had to wait in line while to pass through severely undermanned checkpoints to have their travel documents checked. Now the local news site visir.is reports that a number of police officers have also called in sick with what has been dubbed the solidarity flu, meaning the lines at checkpoints will be even longer. According to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service only three officers will be on duty today, two checking the passports of incoming travellers and one checking those who are leaving the country.
Travellers are being hit by two different strikes
The so-called solidarity flu is a form of wildcat striking which police officers have staged in the past few weeks. As police officers are banned from striking, according to law, they have been using several unconventional methods to draw attention to their demands for higher wages. Calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays has been one of these.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
Guðni Sigurðsson, a spokesman for Isavia, which operates Keflavík Airport, told RÚV that passengers have been remarkably understanding, and that things have been running smoothly. Employees of Isavia have been busy explaining the situation to passengers, as well as handing out chocolate and water to make the wait more tolerable.
Several police officers who work in passport control at Keflavík Airport have called in sick, causing significant delays at border checkpoints. Due to strikes no border guards are at their posts, only three police officers handle passport control. Passengers exiting or entering the country from outside the Schengen-area can expect to stand in line for a long time.
Only three officers on duty
Border guards at the Keflavík Airport are members of the Union of Public Servants, which went on a two-day strike on Thursday, leaving passport control entirely in the hands of Police. As police and border guards handle passport control jointly the strike meant that just about half of the checkpoints could be manned.
Read more: Impact of strikes will be felt throughout Icelandic society
The strike caused flights to be delayed by as much as an hour yesterday as passengers had to wait in line while to pass through severely undermanned checkpoints to have their travel documents checked. Now the local news site visir.is reports that a number of police officers have also called in sick with what has been dubbed the solidarity flu, meaning the lines at checkpoints will be even longer. According to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service only three officers will be on duty today, two checking the passports of incoming travellers and one checking those who are leaving the country.
Travellers are being hit by two different strikes
The so-called solidarity flu is a form of wildcat striking which police officers have staged in the past few weeks. As police officers are banned from striking, according to law, they have been using several unconventional methods to draw attention to their demands for higher wages. Calling in sick in large numbers on Fridays has been one of these.
Read more: Strikes and police “solidarity flu” could paralyze passport control at Keflavík Airport
Guðni Sigurðsson, a spokesman for Isavia, which operates Keflavík Airport, told RÚV that passengers have been remarkably understanding, and that things have been running smoothly. Employees of Isavia have been busy explaining the situation to passengers, as well as handing out chocolate and water to make the wait more tolerable.
