People heading off to travel for the long Easter weekend are facing chaos at airports, ferry ports and queues of up to 30miles on Britain's rammed motorways.
Delays have hit trips by land, sea and air in recent days and are said to get worse over the bank holiday weekend, with one couple reporting their honeymoon has been ruined by the drama.
It comes amid another day of protests by climate activists who have been stopping oil tankers and blockading roads. Police are on scene as Just Stop Oil, a group of climate activists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion, are blocking access to oil terminals, demanding that the Government stops new oil and gas projects.
Images from Dover show long queues to check-in for ferries can be seen this morning after P&O announced it was suspending all of its Dover-Calais services this weekend.
Drivers have been warned they face one of the busiest travel days today.
Holidaymakers waiting to fly have said they are waiting more than an hour to get through security this morning - as airports and airlines across the country are suffering some staff shortages.
Passengers have been previously warned to arrive at least three hours early to avoid delays.
55 flights have been cancelled across London's airports today including at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton, MyLondon reports.
Holidaymakers trying to fly from Birmingham Aiport this morning have complained of long queues at security.
One wrote on Twitter: "Birmingham Airport Security queues right up to the back of the airport on the ground floor and doubling back.
"Airport staff prioritising people with flights less than an hour to departure, so head down to front of escalator if that’s you."
Another added: "The queue for security at Birmingham Airport is HORRIFIC!! Literally never scene scenes like it!!!"
One wrote: "Birmingham Airport 5.35am. Been in the queue for security for 1 hour and about halfway there now. Good job my flight's been delayed by 50 mins!"
Shane Crossland, from Nottinghamshire, took a video from inside the airport said: "Queue for security at Birmingham Airport, this is downstairs before we even get upstairs, at least 2,000 folk queuing the full length of the airport. If anyone makes their flights today it will be a miracle."
One passenger at Gatwick airport said they have been waiting three hours to check-in for their flight.
They tweeted: "@Gatwick_Airport- waiting to check in to a @wizzair flight in the airport! Got here 3 hours before our flight as advised!! And still waiting to check-in.
"Absolutely disgusting! One person working the check-in."
In Dover, a couple has said their honeymoon plans have been ruined after they missed their ferry amid long queues at the port.
Ashley Griffiths-Beamon, 33, and his new husband Damian Griffiths-Beamon, 36, got married on Thursday and were due to travel to Belgium to celebrate their honeymoon.
Mr Griffiths-Beamon said: "I'm upset and frustrated. We had lovely plans for today which have now been ruined.
"The delays will impact our plans today for our day in Bruges which is a shame as we have both been looking forward to visiting the city."
The pair arrived in Dover shortly after 6am for their 8.30am ferry. After missing it, they were rebooked onto a 9.55am ferry.
DFDS initially advised customers on Friday morning to arrive at least 90 minutes before their departure time, adding that it is "expecting a busy day through the Port of Dover".
It later updated this guidance, encouraging passengers to allow at least two hours.
"Considering we have now been here waiting for almost 180 minutes, their advice I would say is misleading," Mr Ashley Griffiths-Beamon said.
The pair arrived in Dover shortly after 6am for their 8.30am ferry
Amanda Burton, 33, from Peterborough, arrived in Dover at 4am on Friday morning, but missed her 8am ferry.
She said the disruption was "ridiculous", adding that there were "only four people on border control...We are off to Bruges for the weekend".
She added: "We feel frustrated and tired. I have no idea why only four members of staff are checking in thousands and thousands of cars."
Millions of Brits are going to hit the road on Good Friday as they try to take advantage of the hot weather.
Today is expected to be the busiest day of the Easter holidays with an estimated 4.62 million journeys likely to be made across the UK.
But there are also estimated to be a further 22.48 million journeys being made over the bank holiday weekend in what could be the busiest in years, says the RAC.
On top of all the travel disruption, supplies of petrol and diesel at filling stations in some areas of the country have been at around half their usual level as the UK's travel network comes under pressure.
The emergency counterflow measures on the M20 called Operation Brock Zero are still in place today.
On the M25, traffic was queuing for 30 miles and causing delays of an hour and 40 minutes, HertsLive reports.
The M4 in Wales has become heavily congested as Dyfed Powys Police has also stated officers will have an increased presence in anticipation of the Bank Holiday weekend, WalesOnline reports.
Near Preston, the M6 southbound was shut for hours after a lorry overturned this morning. It has since been righting but the severe delays are expected to continue, LiverpoolECHO reports.
RAC's Rod Dennis said this afternoon: "While much of the country's major roads appear to be running reasonably freely at the moment, Easter getaway traffic is starting to build in certain spots and that is likely to continue through the day."
Motorists have been advised to travel on Thursday or early on Saturday if they can, to give themselves the best chance of avoiding long queues on the roads.
Edmund King, AA president, said: "Hot weather, lack of trains and an increase in UK staycations means that the roads will be busier than usual this Easter with 27.6m journeys.
"Jams are already present on the M20 due to Operation Stack and the M25 is suffering heavy congestion on the west side around Heathrow and the east near Dartford.
"Holiday traffic to the SW has led to jams on the M4 and M5 near Bristol.
"The backbone of Britain via the M1 and M6 is also suffering from heavy traffic and crashes with hotspots near Hemel Hempstead, Sandbach and Bamber Bridge.
"Drivers are advised to check their cars before travelling and in particular tyre pressures, oil, windscreen washer and fuel levels, as well as preparing for themselves with water and snacks.
"Give yourselves extra time for the journey and build regular stops at least every two hours or so into your trip."
It comes as rail passengers will also face travel misery today as 530 separate engineering works taking place across the weekend.
London Euston, which normally links London via the West Midlands and North West England to Scotland will be shut from today to Easter Monday.
Today's travel chaos comes as climate protesters have targeted oil terminals in Staffordshire and Essex.
Police are at the scene as images show people in orange hi-vis jackets on top of oil tankers and blockading roads, while holding signs.
Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion activists have been blocking access to oil terminals, demanding that the Government stops new oil and gas projects.
The activists say they arrived in the early hours of Friday at the Kingsbury terminal near Tamworth, Staffordshire, as well as the Navigator Oil terminal in Thurrock and Grays oil terminal, both in Essex.
Valero Energy was granted an injunction against a number of environmental groups and "persons unknown" earlier this week following recent protests at the Kingsbury terminal. It bans anyone from damaging any part of the land at each of the firm's sites, from "affixing themselves to any other person or object" on the land or parts of access roads, and from building any structure.
Valero also owns and operates sites in Manchester, Cardiff, Plymouth and Avonmouth.
A dozen activists are said to be at the scene in Tamworth and have locked themselves on to pipes, while roadblocks and "tanker-surfing" has taken place at the sites in Essex.
Warwickshire Police said: "Officers remain at Kingsbury Oil Terminal today and are currently dealing with protest activity after a number of protesters arrived overnight. There is minimal impact to the wider community at this time."
Yesterday, passengers took to Twitter to share their travel nightmares.
One traveller at Heathrow Airport said they waited two hours to deplane and another claimed they were told to fill out forms for their baggage so it could be sent to them amid the disorganisation.
Good Friday is typically one of the busiest days for travel, but this year is expected to be amplified following two years of Covid travel restrictions.
