The boss of Ryanair has called for the army to be brought in to ease disruption at airports which have struggled to cope with demand over the half-term.
Industry experts have blamed staff shortages for flight delays and cancellations that led to thousands of passengers being stuck in hours-long queues at airports.
Meanwhile, aviation industry figures said Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, was risking further chaos by rejecting calls for an emergency visa for aviation workers.