UK passport control agency to strike on Thursday 10 May

Headed for Heathrow, Gatwick or any other UK airport this week? Get ready for equal parts of queues and chaos as UK Border Agency staff holdanother strike on Thursday 10 May.

This Thursday's strike isn't over differences about how to fix the chronic problems at Heathrow, however, but about border staffers wanting to retire earlier.

Regardless, Thursday is showing prospects of being a nightmare day at the UK's airports, with reports that military police and managers will be drafted in to try to cover. (We'll leave it to your imagination as to whether you'd rather encounter a public service manager or a military police officer.)

If you're simply connecting at Heathrow to another destination, consider asking your airline to reroute you through another airport.

Whenever Heathrow looks like it's going to fall over, airlines are asked to reduce flights, so they may be happy to swap you to another European flight -- even if your ticket is an inflexible, no-changes type. Don't be afraid to suggest that they might like to put you on a partner airline's flight to Italy via Paris or Amsterdam instead.

But if that's a no-go, be prepared with reading material, fully-charged electronic devices, a snack and a bottle of water for a long wait -- and know what your options are if you end up missing a flight or connection.

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John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.