The beginning of the summer holidays signals freedom, relaxation and a dose of the sun for many – but unfortunately for some it hasn’t started off that way.
Scenes from Manchester Airport this morning which will make travellers’ stomachs sink show the dreaded queues building up again – this time even snaking back to the car park.
Pictures have also emerged of huge queues in Heathrow Airport in London and Stansted Airport in Essex this morning.
The difficulties in Manchester seemingly began to emerge earlier this week during the UK’s hottest-ever day which saw temperatures climb to a ridiculous 40°C.
Passengers said they had to endure long waits for their luggage, understood to be due to staff absences amid the heatwave.
There were reports baggage conveyor belts broke down for around 30 minutes in Terminal 1, and others said there were two-hour delays in Terminal 3.
Elliott Ward, a transport planner from Manchester who arrived from Barcelona into Terminal 3, got caught up in the chaos.
The 23-year-old told the Manchester Evening News: ‘We got off the plane after landing 20 minutes previously. Signs said to go to the relevant conveyor belt.
‘About 10 items appeared, then nothing for two hours as there was a “technical issue”. There was items from other flights just going around in circles on the other conveyor belts.
‘A few more flights arrived and they just piled into baggage collection and were faced with the same problem.’
A Manchester Airport spokesperson told Metro.co.uk there are no issues with security queues this morning, and these queues would be the responsibility of airline check-ins and ground handlers.
They added: ‘The outside spaces are often used for passengers when it is busy to manage queues and to ensure there isn’t congestion inside the terminal.
‘I’ve heard of no issues this morning and imagine while the images look busy, the queues have moved quickly.’
An easyJet spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of longer than usual queues caused by an intermittent technical issue with the airport baggage belts impacting all airlines at Manchester Airport Terminal 1 today. The issue has now been rectified, however we would like to apologise to our customers impacted by this for any inconvenience caused.’
Airports are not the only transport methods struggling with increased demand today.
A critical incident has been declared at the Port of Dover, with bosses claiming they have been ‘let down’ by border controls.
There are huge queues up to four hours long, which have stopped journey plans and potentially affected many families on the day children finish school for the summer break in the UK.
Huge queues of up to four hours have halted journey plans this morning, which comes on the day many children in England break up for school holidays.
A Port of Dover spokesperson said: ‘We are deeply frustrated that the resource at the French border overnight and early this morning has been woefully inadequate to meet our predicted demand and even more deeply regret the consequences that will now be felt by so many.’
Travel experts say ‘the start of the great getaway has been ruined’.
Protests are also set to take place on motorways today over rising fuel prices amid the cost of living crisis.
Drivers are warned ‘slow-moving roadblocks’ are planned on parts of the M4, M5 and M32 this Friday.
Police advises motorists to plan ahead with protests expected to start on the A38 in Bristol, where traffic was brought to a standstill earlier this month.
A picture posted on a Facebook group called Fuel Price Stand Against Tax suggested demonstrations would be held ‘nationwide’.
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