Airlines tell holidaymakers to turn up THREE hours early for flights from Birmingham Airport: Travel chaos continues amid fury over 100ml liquid rule U-turn with long queues at security
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Airlines have told holidaymakers to turn up for their flight three hours early from Birmingham Airport as huge queues continue to cause chaos.
EasyJet passengers have been advised to arrive an extra hour than if they were travelling from another British airport after the disruption that began a week ago.
It saw long lines snake all the way outside the airport amid the confusion over a U-turn on 100ml liquid rules.
Furious passengers were this week left waiting outside in the rain as they spent hours getting through security.
The Government has temporarily re-introduced rules preventing people from travelling with liquids in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage until further notice.
The airport's £700,000-a-year boss Nick Barton came under fire this week for blaming passengers for the chaos for not following baggage rules.
Are YOU caught in the queues? Email [email protected]
Airlines have today told holidaymakers to turn up for their flight three hours early from Birmingham Airport as huge queues continue to cause chaos
EasyJet passengers have been advised to arrive an extra hour before their departure time after disruption began a week ago when long lines snaked all the way outside the airport
In a post on X/Twitter, responding to a passenger asking why check-in had been disrupted on Sunday, EasyJet said: 'We recommend arriving at the airport 3 hours or at least 2 hours before your flight to account for potential delays and facilitate check-in.'
The airline has insisted the advice is not linked to the 100ml liquid limit, reported The Telegraph.
It comes as airports criticised the Government for the liquid rules U-turn after some airports - including Birmingham - had installed new 3D scanners.
It should have meant the rules were changed on June 1 so passengers could carry liquids up to two litres in their hand luggage.
But the likes of Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester were allowed to miss the latest deadline for installing them after various logistical challenges.
Some airports that had installed the new technology had already dropped the 100ml liquid rule.
But last Friday the Department for Transport (DfT) unexpectedly announced airports would have to comply with it once again.
Birmingham Airport had already been told to keep it while it waited for regulatory approval which had been installed in its new £60 million security screening hall.
The airport's £700,000-a-year boss Nick Barton came under fire this week for blaming passengers for the chaos for not following baggage rules
Furious passengers were this week left waiting outside in the rain as they spent hours getting through security
Huge queues at Birmingham Airport are continuing to cause chaos for passengers on Monday morning
Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators' Association, said DfT's 'surprise' announcement 'was sprung on us with very little time to react'.
She said this 'created uncertainty for passengers just as airports enter their busiest period'.
'It has also put airport operators in a challenging position, with very limited time to prepare for the additional staffing and wider resources that this will require, and no clear idea of when this issue will be resolved,' she added.
'All airports are investing hundreds of millions of pounds to deliver this huge programme of technology and programme upgrades mandated by Government with equipment and processes to meet their requirements.
'We ask that all passengers please bear with us and ensure that liquids are carried in containers no larger than 100ml, until advised otherwise.'
Birmingham Airport's CEO Mr Barton appeared to blame passengers for the delays by not complying with the baggage rules.
'A non-compliant bag with liquids over 100ml can add up to 20 minutes to each passenger's journey through security,' he said.
Mr Barton said the situation was 'not what we planned', and a pre-screening facility would next week be set up to ease queues.
He said there had been 'bedding in' issues following the opening of the multi-million-pound security hall - with passengers forced to wait in queues snaking out of the terminal to go through security.
Mr Barton told the BBC: 'Since opening our new security area, and despite being one of the first UK airports to comply, we have been limited on the use of our multi-million-pound equipment due to an outstanding regulatory restriction meaning we had to limit liquids to 100ml.
'Despite the 100ml rule still being in place, we continually have non-compliant bags with liquids over the allowance which have led to inefficiencies of our equipment and resulted in extended queuing time for customers.
'It is now imperative that all customers comply with the nationwide rule to ensure a smoother and simpler transition through the airport.'
On Sunday, it was claimed by insiders that the queues currently seen at the airport could last for months and the airport is 'understaffed', leaving employees 'overworked' and 'struggling'.
Long queues outside Birmingham Airport can be seen on Sunday in a video posted to X
Furious passengers have waited hours to get through security after the government temporarily re-introduced rules preventing people from travelling with liquids in excess of 100ml in their hand luggage until further notice
Huge lines have been seen outside the terminal, snaking around the side of the building
The disruptions began on Thursday when long lines formed amid confusion over new 100ml liquid rules and 3D baggage scanners
The issue was originally believed to have stemmed from a shortage of staff and the time it has taken to complete the new security hall upgrade, with the source adding that the airport should have employed extra security staff to combat these problems.
In response, airport bosses said a 'continual recruitment campaign for security officers' is in place and added that missed or delayed flights are 'not necessarily' their fault.
The issues started on Thursday, with long queues forming as the new rules for carrying liquids sparked confusion amongst passengers.
The chaos wasn't eased up as on Friday and over the weekend people turned up three hours early for their flight but still found themselves stuck in long lines at security.
Birmingham Airport said in a statement that alongside the security delays with the new technology, 'on-going building works on-site' have added to the 'usual busy morning' as customers have waited in 'long and skinny queues'.
Are YOU caught in the queues? Email [email protected]
