The chaos at airports across the United Kingdom and in Palma do not bode well for the summer holidays.
This half-term week and the Jubilee Bank Holiday is the first post-pandemic test for airports and they are failing the travelling public miserably.
Never mind the long queues at airports in the UK due to a lack of ground and security staff, leading airlines are also being caught out - despite having had months to prepare for the surge in demand for holidays.
Travel agents and the industry at large have been reporting a sharp increase in demand for holidays and bookings for months, but it appears that UK airports have failed to react in time. Problems at Palma airport, which are due to a lack of staff at passport control for non-EU visitors, in particular the British, who now have to have their passports stamped on arrival and departure as a result of Brexit, are ruining people’s holidays.
And there have been warnings today that unless the problem is resolved quickly, this summer could be a nightmare with even more people travelling between the UK and Mallorca.
Tui have announced that they are cutting flights from Manchester airport over the next month in the face of staff shortages which have led to delays and cancellations.
As many as six flights a day will reportedly be cancelled until the end of June. affecting up to 37,000 holidaymakers.
The decision came amid growing anger over flight disruption ahead of the extended Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend and prior to the summer peak. And easyJet have said that cancellations will continue until June 6.