Customs staff strike at airports today: delays forecast

Passengers at Australia's international airports at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns face delays in re-entering the country today due to a series of rolling stoppages by customs staff over a pay dispute.

Sydney Airport has already seen two hour-long 'stop work' periods this morning, the first at 6am and a second at 8am, with a third scheduled from 7-8pm tonight.

Quarantine inspectors at international airports will hold stop-work meetings on Tuesday, while Sydney International Airport will be hit by further Customs strikes on Thursday and Saturday.

A statement from the Customs and Border Protection Service statement explains that the industrial action will include "one and two hour stoppages and partial work bans at various work locations, including airports" – check the Customs and Border Protection Service web site at customs.gov.au for updates.

Our advice: bring a book with you in case you get stuck in one of the 'no mobile phone' zones in airport arrivals!

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.