Southend Airport CEO tells us they're prepared for a summer rush
We've also got top tips to help you get away smoothly
More than 60% of Brits intend to head abroad this summer, as a sense of normality returns to our lives following two years of the coronavirus pandemic.
Spain, Greece and Turkey are back on our list of top destinations after summers of staycations, lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions.
In 2022, holidays abroad are expected to return to close to 2019 levels, but stories of airport queues, staff shortages and cancelled flights have left some passengers nervous about what to expect.
Southend Airport
Southend Airport has told us they're prepared for a holiday rush.
Despite seeing passenger numbers drop into the hundreds of thousands this year - when in 2019 the airport welcomed over two million people - they're expecting a positive Summer season.
Glyn Jones is the airport's CEO: "My focus is not so much on how many passengers we're going to have, because it will never be enough, but really, it'll be on what sort of experience our customers will have.
"We took the decision early, last year, to recruit people to make sure we're ready - and we are...
"Back in 2019, we never had a security queue that exceeded 6 minutes - I don't mean an average queue, I mean all queues, so even when we were flying high in terms of passenger numbers, their experience was at the forefront of our minds, and I'm delighted we can still provide that, even with smaller numbers of passengers."
Whilst this year might not be as busy for the airport as Glyn would have liked, he remains positive the airport will keep growing: "We've got lots of things in our favour. I hope that after this summer, which is obviously going to be a difficult summer for the whole industry, that we'll be able to get back to something much more like normal. "I'm hoping, and expecting, that Southend Airport will be one of the beneficiaries of that."
Travel agent on summer holidays: "We've never had so many people travelling!"
It seems the people of Essex are partial to some sun, sea and relaxation, as Travel agent Joan Jones, who runs Once in a Lifetime Holidays, based in Braintree, says their popular destinations this year include Florida, Turkey and Greece.
She tells us this is the company's busiest year yet: "This month has been really, really busy for departures - we've never had so many people travelling!
"It's been quite time consuming as lots of people haven't travelled for two or three years, so they're a little bit more nervous...
"They've also seen lots of headlines about everything being cancelled, but actually it's only a really small number of flights or holidays that are being cancelled. About 95 to 96% are going ahead as planned...
"People are going away and having amazing holidays."
Joan says that because people are so excited to be back abroad they've started planning their next holidays early - sometimes whilst already on holiday: "It's funny because, when people have gone away for the first time in a long time, they're messaging us from their holiday saying : 'I need to get the next one sorted out' because they've missed it so much.
"We had one lady that went to the Maldives and before she came back, before she got on her flight, she was trying to transfer the money to book and go back again, saying she couldn't come home without having something to look forward to!"
If you are jetting off on holidays, Joan has some advice to keep your travels as smooth and enjoyable as possible:
Manage your expectations
"The whole world is still coming back from COVID, so whilst you might want everything to be perfect because you've waited for so long, all around the world there are staff shortages, they can't get the people, they can't get the goods. You will have a great time but try to relax a little bit and don't let your expectations be too high."
Airport arrivals
"Arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight. Don't try and get there too early and don't get there late."
"Take stuff with you in case you're delayed, and if you've got the children, make sure they've got things to keep them entertained."
"If you're really nervous about queuing, book the fast track at security to get you through a little bit quicker."
"Don't leave your car parking until last minute because prices are rocketing - get it booked as far in advance as possible."
Top tips to get through the airport smoothly
We've been speaking to industry insiders to get a heads-up on how to avoid some of the problems you may have heard about earlier this year.
Some issues are unforeseen, but others you can do something about
- Plan your journey - trains to the airport might get cancelled, traffic jams might delay your arrival, so check before you travel
- Some airports suggest arriving 3 hours before your departure - no earlier, no later. Arriving 4-5 hours early will only delay holidaymakers trying to get away before you
- Remember the rules - check your baggage for liquids and electronics. All the extra rules around 100ml bottles in plastic bags, and carrying things like hair straighteners in hand luggage are still in place
Problems in airports as departure gates reopened
Thousands of flights have been cancelled this year as airlines readjust to post-COVID life.
Staff who left the industry, or were made redundant, during the lockdown took a long time to replace.
This led to shortages at check-ins and security for people getting away in the half term and Jubilee bank holiday breaks.
A shortage of baggage handlers also meant there were delays getting luggage on and off planes and to the right destinations
Rigorous security checks meant it took weeks to get newly trained staff into new roles.
Airports and airlines hope they're now better equipped to deal with a surge in passengers.
Stats from the Office for National Statistics show one in three people across the country who travelled abroad in the last four weeks suffered some kind of disruption to their journey, of which:
- 92% had delayed flights, or more time waiting on the plane
- 54% experienced longer queues at airports
- 29% had to wait longer for their baggage
Head of Operations at Manchester Airport Jennifer Byrne-Smith told us they want things to move as smoothly as possible for their 3.5m passengers:
"This summer we're expecting to see around 95% of our passengers through security in under 30 minutes.
"We've welcomed around 500 security staff into our security team and we have an additional 150 people coming in before August. That all helps us in terms of the experience that our passengers will have when going through security."
Getting back in the holiday habit
Millions of people have not been abroad since summer 2019, and while airports have remained opened for business, many people avoided booking breaks abroad because of fears about destinations being Red-Listed by the Government, or because they were worried about picking up Covid and having to cancel plans.
That means some people are running into trouble at the airport, as they re-adjust to holiday-mode
WATCH: Sean Tipton from ABTA gives us the heads-up on the latest holiday trends and some top tips to make your journey run smoothly.
And others are forgetting to check how COVID restrictions are impacting their travel plans based on restrictions in their final destination.
And don't forget Brexit - we're not part of the EU anymore so some of the rules around travel have changed too.
More holiday hacks
ABTA have put together a handy guide to make your summer run smoothly, here are just some of them.
Visit the ABTA website for more travel advice before you head abroad.
Check COVID rules
Check the COVID rules where you're travelling to, you might need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test for arrival.
It's also worth checking what social distancing rules are in place at your destination, and remember, they might change before you go.
Check your passport
Is your passport still in date?
Some countries want to see that you've got a good amount of time left before it expires, so don't let it get down to the wire.
Ordering a new passport can take weeks, so double check it today
Take out travel insurance
Insurance can cover some unforeseen COVID issues, and pay for medical bills.
Make sure your insurance meets your needs before you go.
Remember your EHIC or GHIC cards
Check your EHIC (Europeans Health Insurance Card) hasn't expired.
If it has you can apply for a GHIC card, which we'll have now we've left the EU.
Both cards allow you to access state-priced emergency medical care
Check Brexit changes
Now we've left the EU, some countries will have different entry requirements that you might need paperwork for.
Also, your mobile company might now charge you for making calls and using data abroad.
ABTA have a full rundown of all the Brexit impacts on travel on their website
Check your luggage rules
Any liquids you're carrying need to be in 100ml max containers, and placed inside a 20cm x 20cm plastic bag.
Electrical items will need to go in your hand luggage and placed in the trays when you pass through security.
The usual belt, bag and boots checks will likely take place too