Hundreds queue at Manchester airport at dawn

British holidaymakers catching early morning flights from Manchester Airport today were packed together in massive queues at check-in due to staffing shortages caused by Covid isolation – as millions of people brace for yet another Bank Holiday weekend of travel chaos.

Hundreds of travellers were pictured filling up Manchester’s hall as early as 3.10am as the hardhit aviation industry tries to overcome pressures caused by the ‘perfect storm’ of staff absences, mass layoffs during the pandemic, and people flying abroad for European sun for the first time in two years.

But millions of families who may have tried to avoid the travel hell over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend by going on a staycation this time are now being warned to prepare for chaos, as 17million motorists are set to hit the roads while £70million worth of rail engineering works and strikes threaten to shut down whole swathes of Britain’s rail network.

More than 3million drivers will take leisure trips today alone, followed by 3million tomorrow and more than 2million on Sunday, according to the RAC.

RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis said: ‘Easter might only have been a couple of weeks ago, but it looks as though plenty of drivers are still looking to make the most of this May Day bank holiday. 

We expect routes to classic tourist hotspots – especially the coasts – to clog up on Friday afternoon and through Saturday morning, although according to our research Monday could turn out to be the busiest day of the long weekend.

‘Preparation is paramount though to avoid an inconvenient breakdown at the side of the road – it’s a fact that the majority of the jobs our patrols will attend this weekend will be avoidable if drivers spend just a little time checking their vehicles are ‘road-ready’.’

Meanwhile, track and signal upgrades mean 550 routes will be closed over the three-day weekend, with trains on the West Coast Mainline from the North West and West Midlands stopping at Milton Keynes Central rather than running into London Euston. 

UK travellers pictured packed together in massive queues at Manchester Airport this morning

British holidaymakers queued as early as 3.10am at check-in at Manchester Airport

Frustrated passengers are pictured queueing at Manchester Airport’s check-in early this morning

Traffic queues on the A102M Blackwall Tunnel approach in Greenwich, South East London, April 29, 2022

Traffic queues on the A102M Blackwall Tunnel approach in Greenwich, South East London, April 29, 2022