A surprise strike by French Eurotunnel employees abruptly shut down the Channel Tunnel, halting Eurostar trains and vehicle shuttles. The strikers, demanding a tripled year-end bonus, caused chaos and panic among travellers during the pre-Christmas holiday rush.
French Transport Minister Clément Beaune called for an immediate solution, condemning the strike’s impact on holiday travel.
Stations in London, Brussels and Paris faced cancellations, prompting desperate passengers to seek alternative routes via flights or complex train and ferry journeys. The abrupt stoppage and subsequent chaos disrupted travel plans, leaving passengers stranded and uncertain about resuming their journeys. Many of them tried desperately to book flights.
Despite earlier signals of traffic resuming, long queues of vehicles formed at the French terminal in Calais. The unions later announced the strike’s end, anticipating the Channel Tunnel’s reopening later in the evening.
