Manchester Airport warns delays could last for several weeks

The boss of Manchester Airport has admitted that long queues will continue for several weeks due to staff shortages.

Last week, hundreds of travellers were left waiting outside due to long queues for security.

The airport said shortages had left them struggling as the demand for international travel increases.

Managing director Karen Smart apologised "to all our customers who have experienced disruption".

"We want to be clear with our customers that getting back to full strength is going to take time and there will unfortunately be periods over the next few weeks when it will take longer to get through the airport than it should," she said.

"Covid-19 has been the biggest crisis our industry has ever faced, and we had to dramatically scale back our operations."

The airport said challenges were being faced by other parts of the travel industry, meaning staff shortages could also impact the services provided by check-in, baggage reclaim and immigration checks at the border.

Last week, the airport apologised after huge security queues caused passengers to miss flights.

One passenger, Paul Keegan, said everyone was "tired and upset" after he waited five hours to board a flight.

Mr Keegan, who was flying to Dublin with his son, described the airport as "one of the most chaotic in the world".

The airport said it began a recruitment drive in January to fill hundreds of roles, but said it was competing against other employers in "one of the tightest labour markets in recent memory".

"The extensive security checks and training for new security officers mean we've not been able to keep pace with the rapid growth in demand but we are interviewing hundreds of candidates every week and new colleagues are coming into the operation every day," Ms Smart said.

The airport said the situation was expected to improve through April, as 400 new recruits complete their training and security clearances over the coming weeks.

It is staging a jobs fair in Wythenshawe this week and is looking to work with universities as a source of temporary staff.

Ms Smart has urged customers to arrive at the earliest time their airline allows them to check-in and be aware of any disruptions that could impact their travel plans.

"Customers can definitely help us by arriving in good time and ensuring they know exactly what they can and can't take through security," she said.

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