Airport warns of ongoing delays

A major British airport warned passengers to expect the delays plaguing travel to continue for months, as the U.K. aviation regulator told the country’s air industry to shape up after weeks of canceled flights and long airport lines.

The head of Manchester Airport in northwestern England said passengers could face waits of up to 90 minutes to get through security “over the next few months.”

Travelers in Britain have suffered days of delays during the current Easter school holiday break, with British Airways and easyJet canceling hundreds of flights because of virus-related staff absences, and long lines building at airport check-in, security and baggage points.

Manchester, Heathrow and Birmingham airports have all experienced problems, stemming from a mix of staff off sick with COVID-19 and from trouble replacing workers laid off during the pandemic, when international travel ground to a halt.

The managing director of Manchester Airport resigned last week. Charlie Cornish, chief executive of owner Manchester Airports Group, acknowledged that the airport does not have “the number of staff we need to provide the level of service that our passengers deserve.”

Civil Aviation Authority Chief Executive Richard Moriarty told airlines they must set “deliverable” schedules and “have the necessary level” of staff. In a letter, he said the delays and cancellations were “not just distressing for affected consumers but have the potential to impact confidence levels across the industry.”

EasyJet said earlier this week that the number of crew illnesses was more than double normal levels because of high COVID-19 infection rates across Europe.