If there was ever a “good” time for an airport strike, it would be just after international exhibitors have already landed for the Henty Machinery Field Days.
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Passengers at international airports around the country were warned of possible delays this week, as Immigration and Border Force workers launched at least 10 days of strike action over rights, conditions and pay.
Long lines at customs at Sydney Airport during the first day of strikes on Monday put travellers at risk of missing domestic connections to Albury.
Henty Machinery Field Days organisers were not worried about international exhibitors missing the event, as they had already landed to begin setting up on Monday, ready for the expected 60,000 visitors to start streaming in on Tuesday.
Roads in the Henty area were busy on Monday with everything from cars to trucks to tractors filing into the event site.
Sergeant Daniel Finch said Albury Highway Patrol did not expect Sydney Airport delays to cause travellers to add traffic on the roads.
He warned people headed to the Henty Machinery Field Days to be patient.
“It just banks up in the morning and the afternoon, but there’s not much we can do about that,” Sergeant Finch said.
Traffic police cracked down on trucks carrying too much weight on the roads in previous years with a targeted operation in Holbrook.
“We had some problems in years gone past with people not understanding permits,” Sergeant Finch said.
He said there have been no issues with heavy machinery going into the field days this year.
The first Border Force strikes at Sydney Airport occurred between 7am and 9am on Monday morning, but staff said Albury Airport was not impacted.
They said the 37-minute delay on the Regional Express flight due at arrive at 9.20am was not connected to the strikes.
Helloworld Albury manager Renee Nightingale said the travel agency had not had any distressed calls from stranded travellers on the first morning of the strikes.
Community and Public Sector Union secretary Nadine Flood said Border Force work would stop for two hours, twice a day, during the morning and afternoon peaks until September 30.
“These workers are angry, they’re under pressure, they face major cuts to their take-home pay and workplace rights and government simply hasn’t listened,” she said.
