Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Thousands make it away for Easter break

Thousands make it away for Easter break

Holidaymakers are continuing to experience delays and queues as they try to get away for the Easter break.

In the past week, more than 100 flights a day had been cancelled due to staff shortages and ferry operators are struggling to meet demand after P&O suspended services.

EasyJet and British Airways said fewer flights were cancelled on Saturday.

The transport secretary earlier urged operators to "redouble" their efforts to get people away as soon as possible.

Labour has accused the government of being "missing in action".

The easing of pandemic rules means that, for many families, this is the first school holiday where they can travel restriction-free.

But a rise in passenger numbers comes as travel operators are struggling with staff shortages and Covid-related absences, leading to long delays.

British Airways said on Saturday it had to cancel three flights overnight on top of its planned cancellations because of staff sickness.

The airline recommended long-haul passengers arrive three hours before their flight, and short-haul passengers two hours.

EasyJet said it had cancelled around 40 flights in advance.

It said: "We will operate 1,422 flights today with a small proportion having been cancelled in advance to give customers the ability to rebook onto alternative flights."

Manchester Airport told the BBC the long waits it has seen at security last week could continue, with some passengers facing queues of 60 to 90 minutes over the next few weeks.

Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham airports have also been hit by delays and cancellations.

The boss of the airlines watchdog has written to UK airlines expressing frustration and concern for holiday-makers.

Meanwhile at Dover, the suspension of P&O ferry services and bad weather have also caused delays.

On Friday, ferry company DFDS reported delays of two hours on its services from Dover to Calais.

A 23-mile (37km) stretch of road into Dover, the M20 Southbound, remains closed, with thousands of lorries trying to reach the port being held.

Toby Howe, tactical lead at the Kent Resilience Forum, advised travellers to France to "allow a lot of extra time" and make sure they had some food and drink because there would be delays.

He told BBC Breakfast the delays had been caused by "the perfect storm" - with ferries being suspended, a storm preventing those which were running from sailing and a train being stuck in the tunnels.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was "very concerned" about the level of disruption and called on travel operators to "redouble their efforts" to make sure people travelling abroad "can get away as smoothly as possible".

But shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh accused the government of being "missing in action".

The Labour MP said: "Tory ministers need to step-up and act to ease the disruption. The government need to begin clearing the huge backlogs in security checks so airport staff can safely begin work.

"And they should be holding emergency talks with ferry operators and Eurotunnel to boost capacity following P&O's shameful action."

Queues at Manchester Airport on Tuesday


P&O Ferries sparked outrage last month after suddenly sacking hundreds of staff.

A Department for Transport spokesperson blamed P&O Ferries for contributing to the delays, adding that regional police and leaders were working to ease disruption in Kent.

The DfT spokesperson said: "P&O's unacceptable actions have resulted in its vessels being detained, causing backlogs and traffic jams which would be substantially alleviated if its fleet was operating normally. It's left operators, local authorities and, of course, government having to clear up the mess.

"That alongside bad weather and the Easter rush has meant that roads are exceptionally busy."


Timelapse footage captures long delays on the approach to Dover


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×