Check-in queues of about three hours were reported at Manchester Airport this morning, with similar scenes in Heathrow – although it is understandable that they have since dropped to normal levels. Staff shortages are also said to have contributed to the delays, as some travelers sat on planes for up to an hour waiting to take off. On Twitter, Ali posted: “Manchester Airport is not ideal as it is so busy. Well done, as it is organized and the amazing staff smiles through abuse and announcements etc .. Disappointed for our quick passes and we can not use them “. Long queues were reported at Manchester Airport this morning as the first weekend of April got off to an awkward start. Actress Amanda Abbington wrote on Twitter that no one was there to pick up her luggage at Manchester Airport Heathrow Terminal Two was told by a traveler that it was “almost capacity” with passengers being picked up just three hours before flight time. However, it is understood that the terminal is again free-flowing after some restrictions this morning due to the increased number of passengers during the Easter holidays.
The situation in the port of Dover has improved slightly, but the delays are likely to continue after the weekend, said the boss of the British Ports Association. The area is mired in traffic chaos, with blocked roads near the port due to the shutdown of ferries connecting the canal and bad weather. Another passenger said he waited more than three hours at Manchester airport yesterday Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Sunday, Richard Ballantyne said: “It’s a little better today, we understand. “Yesterday we had up to nine hours of queues outside the port. There are traffic measures, which … work quite well and enable other people in East Kent and businesses, residents, etc. to circulate freely. “But (not) a good place if you are stuck in a vehicle for six to eight hours.” The suspension of P&O services, with three of the company’s ships docked in Dover, is partly to blame for long queues in the area. Adverse weather conditions in the English Channel and traffic congestion caused by tourists traveling to Kent for an Easter getaway are also said to contribute to the congestion. Drivers were forced to wait for hours to board ferries, following the activation of measures to control the movement of heavy vehicles in the area. Under Operation Brock, trucks heading to Dover are allowed to use one side of the M20 while all other traffic is restricted to a reverse flow system on the opposite side. Nick Gale, a Kent teacher, described six-mile[6 km]queues at Dover Harbor caused by car ferry disruptions and bad weather. The situation between the canals received another blow when a DFDS ferry, Dover Seaways, hit an anchor with strong winds on Thursday. The DFDS said in a statement that the vessel is being inspected before repairs and is expected to return to service on Monday or Tuesday. Despite the slight improvement, Mr Ballantyne said authorities anticipate the delays would extend to the working week. He said: “East Kent and Kent police … and the well-established Dover Harbor Task Force predict that this will continue for another two days, but it’s something we just do not know how long it will last.” Nick Gale, a Kent teacher who was traveling with his family to Calais on a trip to Amsterdam, said they were stuck for “over two hours” on Saturday and lost the boat they were boarding. He said: “No communication from the port staff. The policeman said that it was basically the perfect storm, fewer ships … plus bad weather and (the) P&O problem. Mr Gale criticized the “pessimistic” communication around Dover, saying that non-truck travelers were left in the dark about what to do. “I think Dover is awful, there is no communication about what non-truck customers should do. “We are locals, so we knew some ways to beat the huge queues, but it literally does not move,” he said. “We have no food and an eight-year-old child is moaning in the back.” Heathrow Terminal Two is said to be in full capacity, with passengers only able to enter three hours before their flight The suspension of P&O Ferry services is said to have contributed to long delays in Dover Harbor throughout the weekend, with two DFDS vessels out of action “This has been caused by a number of factors, including severe weather in the English Channel.” Despite the overnight delays, the waiting time from Dover to Calais is reported to be six hours – down from 14 hours yesterday. An emergency air and sea rescue operation was under way in the English Channel last night after a plane with two occupants crashed after taking off in the United Kingdom. The Piper PA-28 was on a group of aircraft heading to the resort of Le Touquet in northern France on Saturday morning. “He fell into British waters for an unknown reason,” said a spokesman for the French emergency services. “The British Coast Guard has launched an operation in support of French aircraft and vessels, including the Abeille-Languedoc (Languedoc Bee) tug, which has been chartered by the French Navy.”