In the ongoing struggle for airports across the United Kingdom to ramp up staff numbers, Leeds Bradford is the latest to report increasing queues and wait times. According to airport CEO Vincent Hodder, roughly 390 passengers have missed flights due to check-in delays, likely caused by holidaymakers arriving early to avoid potential queues in the first place.

“Total chaos”

Talking to the BBC, Hodder noted that some travelers had misunderstood the airport’s message of arriving with enough time to head through security as arriving far too early, advising that they arrive a maximum of three hours before their flight. Hodder explained,

"Some are interpreting that as the earlier you get there, the more chance you have of being able get to your flight. Actually that's not the case. People who are on flights departing at 06:00 or 07:00 are standing behind people who are waiting for a flight departing at 08:00 or 09:00."

Holidaymakers have described the chaos at the airport, reporting long queues through security and a lack of staff to be found.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, one traveler claimed that there was only one staff member available to check the passports of 3,000 passengers, with the queues stretching outside of the terminal. "The airport aren't interested,” he complained. “Get there early they say, but you're still going to queue for three hours."

In a separate interview with BBC, Sarah Drier, a passenger from Castleford, recounted her experience at the airport, having missed her flight to Fuerteventura after arriving three hours before her flight time. Despite eventually being moved to the priority security line, Drier anticipated at least another hour's wait to get airside before being informed by a phone app that her plane had taken off with many passengers still queuing.

"There was total chaos. After having no customer services available it was clear the whole of the airport was a queue. There were families crying, there were people feeling faint. I was in disbelief.”

The airport has since apologized for issues at the airport, noting that it was working hard to overcome the recruitment issues while safely managing queues.

An industry-wide problem

Leeds Bradford is not alone with staffing issues, with airports across the United Kingdom, including London Gatwick and Manchester, seeing dramatically lowered staff numbers due to mass layoffs during the pandemic. Leeds Bradford made around 180 staff redundant between 2020 and 2021. Hodder noted,

"The airport had to downsize significantly. When it came to recruit those staff back into the operation, it has been a slow and difficult process during the recruiting.”

The unexpectedly quick rebound of the British aviation industry has led airports to hold large recruitment drives, though thorough security clearance processes are holding up start dates.

Manchester Airport Queues Over Easter
Airports across Europe have struggled to recruit new staff members to replace those made redundant during the pandemic. Photo: Getty Images

Following mass delays over the Easter period, UK politicians have called on the government to expedite the vetting process. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Aviation Minister Robert Courts have begun working on a proposal for a more streamlined process for background checks, allowing airport staff to start training while they await security clearance. Concerns have been raised over potential safeguarding issues with a more relaxed approach to staff vetting.

In a statement provided to The Times, a government spokesperson said,

“We do not want to see any disruption for passengers and we are working with industry on the issues being faced in order to minimise any disruption as much as possible.”

“It is paramount that aviation staff are properly vetted and while we continue to process security clearances as quickly as possible, we will not, and people would not expect us to, put the safety of the public at risk.”

Hodder holds hopes that staffing issues will be resolved in time for the busy summer season, adding that the airport has since hired 48 new security staff that are still undergoing security clearance.

Have lengthy delays at the airport impacted your holiday? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: BBC (1), BBC (2), The Daily Mail, The Times