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- PARIS: An unexpected strike by workers operating the Channel tunnel has blocked train travel between France and Britain since midday on Thursday (Dec 21), train operator Eurostar said.
- The strike at Eurotunnel operator Getlink has blocked Eurostar trains as well as the trains shuttling trucks and cars as the peak holiday travel season gets started.
- Eurostar said its trains were cancelled until further notice, but as of 1345 GMT on its website evening services were still listed as running.
- Trains between London, Amsterdam and Brussels were also delayed.
- Getlink said French “trade unions rejected a bonus of 1,000 euros end-of-year bonus announced by management and have called for a strike to demand it be tripled”.
- Train operator Eurostar said in a post on X: “We would recommend postponing your journey if you can, even if it’s until tomorrow.”
- The announcement of the cancellation of train service caused dismay in train stations, with people scrambling to change their reservations on their phone.
- “So travelling back now and now literally five minutes ago, we’ve got an email to say that Eurotunnel staff are going on strike and it looks like we can’t get a train today,” said Nick, 45, as he was trying to return to Britain from the northern French city of Lille.
- He said the email he got gave him little hope of making it back to London today.
- “They’ve told us that because it’s December, it’s going to be really difficult to now get a booking with the limited space.”
