Strikes over pay disrupt Christmas travel in UK, France

LONDON (AP) — Air travelers are facing possible delays at U.K. airports as government employees who check passports go on strike. The walkout Friday is the latest in a spate of walkouts over pay amid a cost-of-living crisis. France braced for similar Christmas travel disruption, with a weekend rail strike starting to bite on Friday. The strike by U.K. Border Force staff is due to continue through the end of the year, with the exception of next Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of passengers could be affected. The strikes are putting pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, which is refusing demands from public sector workers for substantial pay rises. Inflation stood at 10.7% in November.