Airline staff manage holidaymakers and travellers as they queue at a check-in desk in the departure hall of Terminal 2 at Heathrow
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Travellers flying abroad for the Easter school holidays have been urged to brace for chaos this Saturday amid a perfect storm of surging passenger numbers and staff shortages.
It follows severe disruption at British airports in the past fortnight, which have prompted delays and flight cancellations.
Passengers have also reported long queues at airports across the UK, with staff shortages blamed on a rise in Covid-related staff sickness and job cuts during the pandemic.
British Airways cancelled at least 78 flights from Heathrow on Wednesday while easyJet scrapped some 30 flights from Gatwick.
It is feared the situation could worsen this weekend as families travel across the UK and abroad ahead of Easter. Covid travel restrictions came to an end last month – prompting a rush in holiday bookings.
Further disruption is expected later this month, with rail engineering works set to take place throughout the Easter weekend. Most services at Euston and Victoria stations will be suspended as Network Rail carries out upgrades.
The West Coast Main Line will be closed between London Euston and Milton Keynes over the entire four-day bank holiday weekend due to upgrades of the existing line and HS2 work.
Signalling work at Clapham Junction also means no Southern trains will serve London Victoria, and South Western Railway will run a reduced timetable at Vauxhall.
Elsewhere, those travelling by ferry face difficulties as it emerged customers of P&O will be unable to transfer their tickets to fully-booked rival operators on the Dover-France route.
In the past few weeks, anyone with a ticket from the disgraced firm has been able to travel with shipping operator DFDS. P&O sparked fury after sacking 800 crew members last month and replacing them with agency staff.
From Friday, those with a P&O ticket will no longer be able to travel on DFDS so passengers will need to seek an alternative operator.
The situation has plunged Dover into chaos, with gridlocked roads near the port.
Meanwhile, Manchester Airport managing director Karen Smart resigned on Tuesday after weeks of disruption for passengers.
Pictures showed queues trailing outside terminals to reach check-in desks and massive crowds waiting to get through security and pick up luggage.
Piles of suitcases have also been left in terminals after travellers abandoned the wait to reclaim their baggage and instead left for home.
