'Abuse of power': Eurostar passengers left furious by French customs protest
Eurostar passengers were forced to join long queues once again on Tuesday as French customs officers continued their work-to-rule industrial action that some tearful passengers described as an "abuse of power". This is how those stuck waiting -- possibly for hours -- for their trains reacted.
Eurostar passengers faced yet another day of travel misery on Tuesday as French customs officers continued their protest, which they say is aimed at showing the regular kind of chaos at customs checks that will happen after Brexit - as well as improving their pay and conditions.
The queues to check in for the Eurostar at Paris Gare du Nord were building up quickly on Tuesday morning just as in previous days, with little sign of movement at the other end.
One passenger, who had spent hours queuing for her train to London complained of an "abuse of power" on the part of the French customs officers.
"To be subjected to strong intimidation and harassment by customs officers after waiting three and a half hours for the @Eurostar, I do not accept this! They have shown a huge abuse of power that has to stop. Then we are amazed at the contempt against the police?!" tweeted Camille Hulot (see tweet below).
READ ALSO:
@Economie_Gouv Subir une forte intimidation et du harcèlement par les douaniers après 3h30 d’attente au départ de l’@Eurostar, je n’accepte pas! Ils ont fait preuve d’un énorme abus de pouvoir qui se DOIT de cesser. On s’étonne ensuite du mépris face aux forces de l’ordre?!
— Camille Hulot (@CamHulot) March 11, 2019
Hulot went on to say: "It's shameful! I came out of the customs queue in tears!! I cannot agree with intimidation like this, to be surrounded by three men, to be told how things should be done by people who did the opposite! Unacceptable."
Others said they had not been given any information about the situation by Eurostar and how no idea how bad it would be until they arrived and saw the queues.
It's scandalous," Jean-Philippe Chavy, who was travelling to London for work, told The Local at Gare du Nord on Tuesday. "I'm supposed to be on the 10h06 train and I've been waiting here for an hour without moving.
"I've been given no information at all by Eurostar and I can't even leave to get some food, go to the toilet or have a drink."
Chavy, who said he had already missed his first meeting, said that Eurostar had made no effort to contact him to make him aware of the situation.
The announcements from Eurostar on Tuesday morning said that passengers faced delays of between 45 minutes and three hours.
The queues are already building up for the Eurostar at Gare du Nord this morning. Most trains delayed by at least an hour if not already cancelled. #Eurostar pic.twitter.com/eTOMAz3vKy
— Evie Burrows-Taylor (@Eviebt) March 12, 2019
And Chavy wasn't the only person waiting who said that there had not been much information forthcoming.
Anne Rush, who had been in the French capital for the Paris half marathon, said that she was "frustrated" and had not received an email or any contact from Eurostar telling her about what was going on.
"We have a long day ahead of us because we're heading to the north east of England and we have fixed tickets on the other side, so I'm just hoping we make our train otherwise it will be very expensive.
"I had seen some news about the protest but didn't know it was this bad."
Hugh Calder and Margaret Payne who were in Paris on holiday said that they had "not been told what would happen if they didn't make it through the queue on time for their train."
Calder said he thought the government was "living in cloud cuckoo land when it came to Brexit."
People on the 11h04 are being told to wait at the bottom of the stairs. One passenger called the situation "scandalous". #Eurostar pic.twitter.com/Bhzb6mggYq
— Evie Burrows-Taylor (@Eviebt) March 12, 2019
A French couple, who did not want to give their names, said that they were originally booked onto the 8h37 which had been cancelled last week. But because they had booked through French train website Oui, they were told by both Oui and Eurostar that they could not change their ticket over the phone, forcing them to travel into Paris to change their ticket in person.
However despite the frustration and misery of those waiting, not everybody was annoyed with either Eurostar or the striking French customs officials.
"Eurostar could not have predicted that this would happen and if the industrial action is anything to go by, the French government does need to add more customs officials," said Alain Bertin, who had been waiting for an hour when we spoke to him.
"The problem is that nobody knows what is going on even at this stage with Brexit," he added.
However others pointed out that this was not the only hurdle they had come up against on their trip to Paris.
Rebecca Zytynski from the US, who was on holiday with her family, said that the "yellow vest" protest on Saturday meant that she couldn't make it to the ballet in time due to the fact that the Champs-Elysees was closed.
What happens now?
The unions met Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin on Tuesday morning which could see the situation resolved later in the day.
"We will present a common message to show the urgency of our requests," said Thomazo.
Their list of demands is clear: additional staff and equipment, new infrastructure and better financial benefits. While waiting for the government's response, they intend to continue their protest which they is aimed at showing the kind of chaos at customs checks that will happen after Brexit.
The French government has announced the recruitment of an extra 700 customs officials, a number seen as insufficient by some unions.
"The French government has never believed in a Brexit, they are in total denial," said Thomazo.
"Decisions should have been made a year ago, not three weeks before Brexit.
"Our aim is to attract attention to our worsening conditions of work which will only get worse once Brexit happens," Thomazo said.
"We are simply not ready for Brexit."
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Eurostar passengers faced yet another day of travel misery on Tuesday as French customs officers continued their protest, which they say is aimed at showing the regular kind of chaos at customs checks that will happen after Brexit - as well as improving their pay and conditions.
The queues to check in for the Eurostar at Paris Gare du Nord were building up quickly on Tuesday morning just as in previous days, with little sign of movement at the other end.
One passenger, who had spent hours queuing for her train to London complained of an "abuse of power" on the part of the French customs officers.
"To be subjected to strong intimidation and harassment by customs officers after waiting three and a half hours for the @Eurostar, I do not accept this! They have shown a huge abuse of power that has to stop. Then we are amazed at the contempt against the police?!" tweeted Camille Hulot (see tweet below).
READ ALSO:
@Economie_Gouv Subir une forte intimidation et du harcèlement par les douaniers après 3h30 d’attente au départ de l’@Eurostar, je n’accepte pas! Ils ont fait preuve d’un énorme abus de pouvoir qui se DOIT de cesser. On s’étonne ensuite du mépris face aux forces de l’ordre?!
— Camille Hulot (@CamHulot) March 11, 2019
Hulot went on to say: "It's shameful! I came out of the customs queue in tears!! I cannot agree with intimidation like this, to be surrounded by three men, to be told how things should be done by people who did the opposite! Unacceptable."
Others said they had not been given any information about the situation by Eurostar and how no idea how bad it would be until they arrived and saw the queues.
It's scandalous," Jean-Philippe Chavy, who was travelling to London for work, told The Local at Gare du Nord on Tuesday. "I'm supposed to be on the 10h06 train and I've been waiting here for an hour without moving.
"I've been given no information at all by Eurostar and I can't even leave to get some food, go to the toilet or have a drink."
Chavy, who said he had already missed his first meeting, said that Eurostar had made no effort to contact him to make him aware of the situation.
The announcements from Eurostar on Tuesday morning said that passengers faced delays of between 45 minutes and three hours.
The queues are already building up for the Eurostar at Gare du Nord this morning. Most trains delayed by at least an hour if not already cancelled. #Eurostar pic.twitter.com/eTOMAz3vKy
— Evie Burrows-Taylor (@Eviebt) March 12, 2019
And Chavy wasn't the only person waiting who said that there had not been much information forthcoming.
Anne Rush, who had been in the French capital for the Paris half marathon, said that she was "frustrated" and had not received an email or any contact from Eurostar telling her about what was going on.
"We have a long day ahead of us because we're heading to the north east of England and we have fixed tickets on the other side, so I'm just hoping we make our train otherwise it will be very expensive.
"I had seen some news about the protest but didn't know it was this bad."
Hugh Calder and Margaret Payne who were in Paris on holiday said that they had "not been told what would happen if they didn't make it through the queue on time for their train."
Calder said he thought the government was "living in cloud cuckoo land when it came to Brexit."
People on the 11h04 are being told to wait at the bottom of the stairs. One passenger called the situation "scandalous". #Eurostar pic.twitter.com/Bhzb6mggYq
— Evie Burrows-Taylor (@Eviebt) March 12, 2019
A French couple, who did not want to give their names, said that they were originally booked onto the 8h37 which had been cancelled last week. But because they had booked through French train website Oui, they were told by both Oui and Eurostar that they could not change their ticket over the phone, forcing them to travel into Paris to change their ticket in person.
However despite the frustration and misery of those waiting, not everybody was annoyed with either Eurostar or the striking French customs officials.
"Eurostar could not have predicted that this would happen and if the industrial action is anything to go by, the French government does need to add more customs officials," said Alain Bertin, who had been waiting for an hour when we spoke to him.
"The problem is that nobody knows what is going on even at this stage with Brexit," he added.
However others pointed out that this was not the only hurdle they had come up against on their trip to Paris.
Rebecca Zytynski from the US, who was on holiday with her family, said that the "yellow vest" protest on Saturday meant that she couldn't make it to the ballet in time due to the fact that the Champs-Elysees was closed.
What happens now?
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