UK airports, ports and roads under pressure as half-term getaway begins
Half-term holidaymakers are navigating the busiest day at British airports since the start of the pandemic with some hit by further flight cancellations, while cross-Channel ferry passengers face long queues at Dover and drivers are warned to expect jams.
EasyJet cancelled 14 more flights at London Gatwick in the early morning peak, in the aftermath of IT problems on Thursday that took out 200 of its flights around Europe.
However, Gatwick said early check-in queues had cleared by the mid-morning, as it prepared for more than 800 flights and 120,000 passengers at the airport on Friday. Half-term holidays begin this weekend for the vast majority of schools across England and Wales.
The RAC issued a warning over congestion on motorways and major A roads as an estimated 17.9m leisure trips by road will be made between Friday and Sunday, with Saturday the busiest day.
Its spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Major routes to holiday destinations will start to clog up … Drivers can beat the worst of the queues by planning the time of their trips carefully. An early start is always best or, failing that, driving at dusk if that’s a feasible option.”
Meanwhile, passengers travelling to Europe via Dover – including thousands of Liverpool supporters heading to Paris for football’s Champions League final on Saturday night – were facing long queues at the port, at the start of the half-term getaway.
The Port of Dover advised passengers to pack supplies of food and water as it expected a “very busy week ahead”. Irish Ferries warned customers to expect delays of up to three hours at port security and check-in, and P&O Ferries warned of heavy traffic at border control. Passengers who miss sailings are normally accommodated on the next service.
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