All three major Gulf carriers, Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, have issued travel warnings to the UK-bound passengers scheduled to fly on November 30, 2011 as the UK Border Agency has declared an industrial strike on the day.

Emirates: 

In the latest update on UK-bound flights scheduled for Nov 30, an Emirates’ spokesperson told Gulf News today that due to the announced strike of the UK Border Control Authority at all UK airports on the 30th November, Emirates has “unfortunately had to cancel EK029, Dubai to London Heathrow and the returning EK030”.

“There is likely to be significant disruption and extensive delays for arriving and departing passengers in and out of the UK. Passengers are being encouraged to consider travelling on alternate days. Emirates apologises for any inconvenience caused and recommends that its passengers check for regular updates on www.emirates.com,” the airline’s spokesperson said.

Etihad:

Etihad Airways said it has had to cancel three flights to spare the airline’s passengers the expected disruption in Heathrow airport and the long delays in waiting to clear immigration. The cancelled flights are EY019 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, EY020 from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and EY017 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow. “Authorities predict these could last up to 12 hours,” the airline said in a statement.

It added that at the request of authorities at London Heathrow airport Etihad flight EY011 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow will operate on November 30 with a “reduced passenger capacity”. Guests booked on these flights are currently being rebooked by Etihad onto alternative flights, the airline said in a statement. It further stated that Etihad flights to Manchester will “operate as scheduled”.

Earlier updates

A 24-hour strike by UK's Border Agency staff across the United Kingdom is planned to take place from 00:01 until midnight (UK local time) on Wednesday, 30th November, according to an alert on Etihad Airways' website, adding that the strike will most likely "affect operations at all UK border crossings and has the potential to cause disruption at all UK airports".

Emirates' statement on its website states that as a result of the Nov 30 strike, all Emirates flights to/from the UK on that day "may be disrupted or forced to be cancelled", advising passengers strongly to consider alternate travel days.

"Passengers who have already been booked and ticketed to travel to/from the UK on 30 Nov 11 may have their tickets rebooked/re-issued for travel on 28-29 November or 1-7 December at no additional cost," Emirates stated as one of its rebooking conditions among others on its website.

Qatar Airways, meanwhile, in its UK travel alert, stated that passengers arriving on Qatar Airways' flights to London Heathrow and Manchester were likely to be "affected" due to the strike. "Due to industrial strike action by UK Border Agency staff on Wednesday 30th November 2011, passengers on all airlines arriving into UK airports should expect long queues and delays during the passport and immigration process," the Doha-based carrier said on its website, further offering rebooking options for passengers holding confirmed reservations for travel on the day.

Etihad Airways, which operates flights to both London Heathrow and Manchester, too, said that while at this stage Etihad flights will be operating "as scheduled", due to the anticipated disruption, it is possible that passengers "may experience long delays in waiting to clear immigration at both airports on this day".

Etihad Airways: Travel Advisory Last updated: 27 Nov 10:26 (GMT)

Due to the anticipated disruption in Heathrow airport, and the possibility that Etihad passengers may experience long delays in waiting to clear immigration, the following flights have been cancelled on November 30.

• EY019 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow
• EY020 from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi
• EY017 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow

Also, at the request of authorities at London Heathrow airport the following flight will operate on November, 30 with a reduced passenger capacity:

• EY011 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow

Guests booked on these flights will be rebooked by Etihad onto alternative flights.

Meanwhile flights to Manchester will operate as scheduled.