Travellers face delays at UK airports and London train passengers warned of severe disruptions
- Passengers reported cancelled flights and long queues at airports including Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham
- Transport for London (rail) said journeys will be affected by proposed union action and short-notice railway station closures are possible in June
Airline passengers faced cancelled flights and long queues at Britain’s airports on Monday as millions of people embarked on half-term getaways or trips to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
Airports are struggling to cope with the demand for travel amid staff shortages. Meanwhile budget airlines easyJet and Tui have cancelled a number of flights this week in an attempt to boost reliability. Manchester Airport has been one of the worst affected, with passengers reporting four-hour queues on Monday.
Chris Price, a battlefield guide, was travelling with his family to the Dominican Republic. “Tui’s lack of communication with passengers is shocking. Nobody (was) there to assist or help if needed, and now (the) flight (is) delayed.
“It spoils an exciting time, especially for children … my son is pulling his hair out. (The) sad part is it’s entirely avoidable if Tui communicated.”
Tui told passengers on social media it is “doing everything to minimise disruption to our flying schedule,” adding that “most our flights are operating with minimal disruption.”
Manchester Airport said in a statement that airlines and their ground handlers are experiencing “challenges” which is “leading to delays at check-in and baggage reclaim for some passengers.”
