An airport worker has claimed that staff have been forced to lock themselves away from threatening customers, including being spat at.
The staff member, who works at a company operating at Manchester Airport and asked to remain anonymous, spoke to the Mirror and said that workers are feeling unsettled about the weeks ahead.
They said that already this year, colleagues have been targeted by furious passengers melting down on the concourse, and claimed one woman had even threatened a worker with a sharp pen.
With the peak school holiday season having kicked off, pressure on airports and airlines will only grow.
Still whittled down following coronavirus pandemic redundancies, slim line crews of baggage handlers, security personnel and check-in desk workers will have to deal with demand that is now reaching pre-pandemic levels.
So far this year the strain has occasionally proved too much for the system, with huge queues of miserable passengers forming at airports across the UK including Bristol, Heathrow and Birmingham, as well as Manchester.
Passengers have been facing hours-long queues before they even reach check-in. Unsurprisingly when they do make it, they're often left frustrated. All too often this fury is directed at staff.
"I've had the shift from hell yesterday and today," the employee - who does not work directly for Manchester Airport - told the Mirror. "It was one check in to another. Passengers were shouting at us because they didn't have the right documents, or they had excess baggage."
They said that they loved their job for the most part, enjoying the 'buzz' of the airport and having a solid group of colleagues who go out drinking together after work.
Since the pandemic struck, dealing with angry passengers has become a much bigger part of their job.
"I still enjoy it, but with the Covid restrictions and queues things have been a lot more challenging," they said. "Passengers have become a lot angrier. People kick off at us. It's primarily Covid tests and vaccine certificates.
"When they haven't got what they need, it's always our fault, but it's their responsibility."
Staffing levels have improved following a big recruitment drive, but numbers are still lower than before the pandemic.
The effect, they claim, is that remaining staff are working 'flat out' and regularly stay on after their shifts.
Frustration and exhaustion often proves a difficult mix, for both staff and passengers.
"We've had a lot of issues with the cancelled flights. Some of the staff have been spat at. Someone had had to lock themselves in the airbridge so the passengers can't get at them.
"One member of staff had a woman threaten to stab her with a pen.
"When you're coming in for the shift you feel a bit apprehensive about what the day will entail. I had someone tell me yesterday that they had been on for 12 hours and didn't have a break.
"One member of staff fainted a couple of days ago, it was hot and she was running around the whole time."
As for the weeks ahead, the worker is not feeling positive.
"I am feeling extremely apprehensive," they said. "I don't think any of the companies have the staff to deal with what's coming. There will be queues, more angry passengers, and more aggressiveness towards staff."
