Easter travel disruption to hit air, rail, road and sea in UK

Holidaymakers trying to get away for the Easter weekend have been warned they are likely to face disruption whether travelling by air, rail, road or sea. Staff sickness and a shortage of workers have already caused multiple days of chaos for air passengers, with carriers cancelling dozens of flights at short notice, while ferry operators have struggled to meet demand as P&O Ferries services remain suspended. Travellers have been told they face delays over the bank holiday weekend, and may even have difficulties reaching their destination, regardless of how they travel, amid widespread closures to the rail network and predictions of “huge surges” of vehicles on motorways. The Easter weekend is the first public holiday since the lifting of almost all Covid travel restrictions, and traditionally signifies the start of the busier spring and summer season. Airline passengers have faced lengthy queues in terminals to clear security in recent weeks, while thousands of travellers flying from Manchester airport missed their flights as a result. It came after the surge in passengers coincided with high rates of staff off work with Covid, and a wider shortage of workers after many were laid off during the pandemic. Manchester airport has warned passengers they will continue to wait for up to 90 minutes to get through security, while there is also some disruption expected for those flying from Birmingham, as well as Heathrow and Gatwick.<br/>