BRITS with plans to go abroad over the Easter holidays are warned queues in airports will be longer than usual due to staff shortages.

The Airport Operators Association (AOA) has warned travellers they should expect delays if they are taking a trip at peak times.

Airports and airlines were hit hard during the pandemic, as many staff lost their jobs or moved into other industries.

As a consequence, airports have been put under strain, and they are expected to struggle as thousands of Brits jet off for a foreign holiday over Easter.

Karen Dee, chief executive of the AOA, cautioned passengers they could be waiting longer in the airport if they fly during peak times.

She said: "Airports have been preparing for this for some time, but at peak times passengers may not have the experience they are used to."

Read more airline stories

Do I have to wear a face mask on a plane? EasyJet and Ryanair rules explained

Summer holiday warning as flights to Spain, Portugal & Germany face delays

"Airports are working hard to recruit more staff in a very competitive labour market and are working with the UK government to resolve any delays in the necessary checks before staff can start work."

She encouraged passengers to get to the airport early and to have your passport and any necessary Covid documents ready so you can get through check in as quickly as possible.

She continued: "If airports and passengers work together, we can get everyone on their way as smoothly and quickly as possible."

British Airways passengers have experienced a lot of travel chaos in recent weeks due to a series of IT failures.

Most read in News Travel

On Wednesday, more than 40 flights were cancelled due to a technical issue, which had a knock on effect on passengers flying yesterday.

According to The Independent, more than 50 flights to and from Heathrow were cancelled yesterday – affecting 5,000 passengers.

That was the second major IT problem British Airways has suffered in two months.

In February, more than 500 flights were disrupted after the flagship carrier suffered its biggest IT failure for years.

Heathrow came under fire last week after passengers were stuck in "quarter of a mile" long queues.

A spokesperson for the airport admitted they had experienced delays processing passengers at Terminal 5, which has caused the huge lines.

Read More on The Sun

Chris Rock ‘STOPPED police arresting Will Smith’ after Oscars slap

Dramatic moment ‘Ukraine attack choppers blast oil depot’ INSIDE Russia

BA has altered its Covid voucher policy, giving customers the freedom to swap their tickets for a cash refund.

And despite the airline announcing it was scrapping its mandatory face mask policy, Brits flying with BA are warned they must still wear face masks if they are travelling to 50 destinations.

Source: Read Full Article