Stansted Airport hit by MORE delays as Labour MP David Lammy slams government

Huge queues are building up once again at Stansted airport this morning with scenes of people sleeping in the airport overnight that look like ‘a shootout’ and flights being delayed by more than six hours. 

Stansted has been criticised by unhappy customers for days due to long queues, delays and cancellations which show no sign of stopping as the UK enters what is expected to be the ‘summer of discontent.’

Labour shadow minister David Lammy is also caught up in the chaos – tweeting to his more than 780,000 followers to highlight the issue.

He said: ‘Another morning, another horrid queue at airport security! 

‘This time at Stanstead [sic]. Well done Boris Johnson. Top marks Priti Patel. Welcome to #BacklogBritain.’

Stansted airport told MailOnline some passengers choose to stay in the airport overnight if they are catching early flights – but they admitted delays had been caused by a higher level of staff absence than normal and a cancelled Stansted Express service.

Meanwhile Grant Shapps this morning called for better deals for baggage handlers, suggesting more people would apply for and stay in jobs at airports if pay was increased. 

MP David Lammy tweeted this picture of the queue for security at Stansted this morning – where hundreds of passengers can be seen queuing in cramped conditions

Other Twitter users have also encountered long delays to get to security, with one saying they have never seen the airport as busy as this morning

As well as queues to get through security and check-in, multiple passengers have complained of delays overnight and this morning which appear to have affected hundreds of people.

Ryanair is one of the main airlines to fly in and out of Stansted – but customers have complained of poor service and waiting for long periods at gates before being able to board planes.

Late last night a passenger shared on social media that their Ryanair flight was due to depart at 5pm but they had been stuck on the plane for more than six hours.

It’s unclear whether the flight did take off or whether passengers were forced to take an alternative one. 

One social media user said this morning: ‘Stood in corridor at gate 83, Stansted for last 30 mins. 

‘Couldn’t we have waited in departures if flight to Shannon is delayed?’

Another flyer this morning joked that ‘the whole of England is in the security queue’.

Problems continued from overnight with one Twitter user comparing the situation to a ‘shootout’.

They said: ‘Stansted 3am is the most no-rules place in the world btw. 

‘Bodies scattered all over the floor like there’s been a sh0otout [sic] and a random guy getting cautioned by transport police in the corner.’

Issues aren’t just limited to queues either – one passenger reported ‘not enough drinks or food’ for passengers leaving Stansted on a four-hour Ryanair flight, adding each customer could only have one drink during the flight.

They also said basic options such as tea and coffee were unavailable, despite advertising to the contrary. 

A spokesperson for Stansted airport said: ‘We do experience passengers arriving the night before who are travelling on the first wave…