Written by Adam Shaw - Local Democracy Reporter

Rail services at Heathrow Airport were running relatively smoothly today despite large scale strikes affecting millions around the country. Any anticipated scenes of chaos were unfounded as services on the Elizabeth Line kept travel ticking over in West London. 

As most lines on the London Underground, including the Piccadilly line, which serves Heathrow's terminals, were out of service, passengers were reliant on other ways of getting into the centre of town. They could make use of the Elizabeth Line, which opened just weeks ago, and a specialist express train to get to Paddington Station in between 15 and 30 minutes. 

Trains were running at half hour intervals and there were plenty of staff on hand to direct travellers who might be confused by the strike action. 

Several passengers told the Local Democracy Service, after they had been shown the way to the trains going to Central London, that they were heading into town anyway and it wouldn't disrupt their journey too much. Others had chosen to get a coach to Victoria as it was either cheaper, or would get them closer to their destination, in any case.

While the operation was generally a success, with all airport staff, from engineers to check-in assistants, willing to chip in to help people, there were some passengers who were frustrated by the situation. 

One traveller, Roxy, who had just returned from Poland with her two children, said it was "a nightmare" that she was facing a much longer journey to her home in Barking due to the strikes. 

Heathrow Airport reached out to bus and coach providers prior to the strike, asking them to strengthen their services where possible. It also put more staff in place on the airport forecourts, increased drop off space for cars and asked for more police to be deployed. 

A Heathrow spokeswoman said: "We are aware there will be disruption to rail services for Heathrow this week as a result of planned industrial action. We advise passengers to plan their journeys in advance using a recognised journey planner and allow longer for their trips to and from Heathrow."

She added airport services should not be significantly affected today and passengers would be kept updated throughout the week. 

The RMT union has called three days of strikes this week over cuts to jobs, conditions, real-term pay and pensions. Many Conservative politicians have criticised the decision, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson describing the strikes as "so wrong and so unnecessary". 

Susan Hall, a Harrow councillor and the Conservative leader at the Greater London Authority, said she was "absolutely furious" with the unions for walking out. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "They're totally overreacting and it's simply about trying to bring down this Tory government. But it needs to stand firm. 

"I'm one of the many people who use public transport who couldn't get to work today. I'm lucky, I can work from home and still get paid. But there are many poor souls out there who won't. 

"People rely on these services to get to their jobs, to get to medical appointments. And the rail workers, who have good salaries and very generous pensions, have the audacity to strike. 

"They don't realise that businesses need to adapt. Many countries use technology to support their transport systems. 

"They had every intention of striking whatever happened, nobody is going to be made redundant who doesn't want to take it voluntarily – the whole thing is absolute nonsense."

RMT boss Mick Lynch, who apologised to passengers, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government was preventing employers and the unions from reaching a settlement. His union is asking for a pay rise of at least 7 per cent to offset the rising cost of living, but it says employers have offered a maximum of 3 per cent – on condition they also accept job cuts and changes to working practices.