Some travellers experienced more problems with huge queues at Manchester Airport this morning as a summer of travel chaos continued. Pictures showed the queue snaking from Terminal 2 and stretching along the walkway towards Terminal 1 early this morning.
One traveller posted a picture of the queue to the M.E.N. on Twitter early this morning and said: "No wonder the queues at Manchester are so bad, TUI website down so no checking in online which means every passenger on every flight will need to go to the desk! Absolute shambles.
"Only planned on taking a carry on bag to avoid this mess but what is the point if I am going to have to queue anyway."
TUI admitted staff were faced with 'operational issues' this morning but said the problem was exacerbated by some passengers arriving eight hours before their scheduled departure.
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Another passenger wrote on Facebook: "Manchester airport utter carnage, 2 hours 45 minutes to check in and get through security, no breakfast, now boarding plane ……. Ffs !!!! I’m starving!!"
Other passengers in other terminals reported no issues and airport officials said the issue in T2 had nothing to do with security, which they said had experienced no significant problems today.
Another wrote: "And we’re off! Don’t believe the hype… Manchester airport was a breeze."
A spokeswoman for TUI told the M.E.N: "I can confirm there were no operational issues at Manchester Airport this morning. Unfortunately, there are passengers arriving up to eight hours before their flight which contributes to a longer wait time.
"Also online check in closes six hours before flights."
Today's queues come as two airlines face possible strike action later this summer. Last week it emerged Ryanair cabin crew plan walkouts in Europe. Strikes are set to take place in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium which could impact services on UK routes.
Unions in Belgium representing staff at the budget airline are the latest to announce walkout plans as the main summer holiday season commences. According to unions staff are planning to strike in Belgium and Portugal from June 24-26, France from June 25-26 and in Italy on June 25.
Staff in Spain are expected to strike on June 24-26, June 30, and July 1-2. In Belgium industrial action will come as a blow to passengers as Ryanair operates 17 planes from Charleroi and two aircraft from Brussels.
Unions claimed the dispute centred on wage levels and pay for pre-take-off and post-landing duties. A Ryanair spokesperson said last week the unions should return to the negotiating table to deliver improvements instead of disrupting passenger travel plans.
British Airways workers based at Heathrow have also voted to strike in a dispute over pay. Members of the GMB and Unite backed industrial action.
The unions said holidaymakers face disruption, warning of a summer of strikes. Workers, including check-in staff, will now decide on strike dates, which the union said were likely to be held during the peak summer holiday period.
Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: “With grim predictability, holidaymakers face massive disruption thanks to the pig-headedness of British Airways.
“BA have tried to offer our members crumbs from the table in the form of a 10% one-off bonus payment, but this doesn’t cut the mustard.
“Our members need to be reinstated the 10% they had stolen from them last year with full back pay and the 10% bonus which other colleagues have been paid."
In April, the boss of Manchester Airport quit amid a growing backlash over long passenger queues, staff shortages and calls from city leaders for management to 'get a grip' of the growing crisis. The problem has persisted, however.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports confirmed at the time that Karen Smart has decided to leave the business after eight years. Karen, who took on the Managing Director role at the start of the pandemic, has navigated the hub through the impacts of Covid-19, and has also led the start of its controversial recovery.
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