Easter travellers warned to prepare for airport strikes
Border Protection is urging Australians travelling internationally over the Easter break to arrive at the airport early and stay tuned for updates over an industrial workers’ strike.
Employees of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection are just one of many government sectors taking industrial action over the coming weeks due to a dispute over pay and working conditions.
“Delays will occur and those travelling overseas over the Easter period are encouraged to arrive early at the airport, and then to proceed directly to customs and immigration clearance,” said Assistant Commissioner of Border Command, Clive Murray.
Murray also urged for those thinking of booking a last minute flight to reconsider.
“Travellers who have not yet booked their travel or who are able to reschedule to another day are encouraged to do so. The Department recognises this will cause inconvenience and have an impact on the travelling public.”
The dates Australians should avoid airports around the country due to workers strikes are from today, March 22 through to Good Friday and March 27 to April 7. However, Assistant Commissioner Murray said the government agency will strive to minimise the impact for members of the public.
“We will work to provide the best service we can, allocating available resources where they are most needed. The health, safety and security of the public and our staff continue to be our priority,” he said.
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For wanderlust jetsetters, the impact of industrial action taken by workers in the airport can have a detrimental impact on their journey. This highlights the importance of securing travel insurance well in advance of travelling to ensure you will be covered in the event of unavoidable inconveniences such as industrial action.
Last month research by Allianz Australia found that 90% of Australians consider travel insurance as a “non-essential”. Chief Market Manager of the insurance company, Damien Arthur, encouraged Aussies to add taking out a travel insurance policy on the to-do list.
“It’s an extremely small price to pay when you consider the consequences of being caught in an unfortunate situation without cover,” he said.
Most travel insurance policies will cover you in the case of unforeseen events such as flight cancellations due to industrial action providing that it was not known at the time of you taking out cover. To make sure, Mozo advises you check with your insurer and read the fine print before signing the dotted line.
If you’re planning a trip away and want to learn more about travel insurance, check out Mozo’s handy tips guides: