Travel chaos at Birmingham Airport continues today amid confusion over the 100ml liquid rules, as passengers fear it could last all summer.
Frustrated holidaymakers are still waiting in hours-long queues to go through Security, as early morning flights appear to be the most affected.
One passenger shared a photograph of the queue at around 6am this morning, which led out the terminal in a straight line.
It comes amid confusion over the 100ml liquid rules, as the Government temporarily reversed its plans to scrap the measure.
The government had originally given approval to some airports to allow passengers to carry up to two litres of liquids in their hand luggage after the installation of new CT scanners.
But it has not temporarily re-introduced the 100ml restriction until further notice.
Travel agency Tui recently told passengers on long haul flights to check in between three to four hours ahead of their expected departure time.
And there are fears among passengers that the chaos could continue for months as insiders claim the airport is ‘understaffed’ and staff are being ‘overworked’.
One passenger shared a photograph of the queue at around 6am this morning, which led out the terminal in a straight line (Pictured: The security line today)
Airline passengers faced huge queues at Birmingham airport, UK, on June 14
Tui has told its passengers that its check in desks at Birmingham airport will open between two and three hours before departure for normal flights and between three and four hours before for long haul flights.
It comes after EasyJet passengers were advised to turn up for their flight three hours early for their flights at Birmingham.
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, according to The Telegraph.
Airports have 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 the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that six British airports will temporarily reintroduce the ban.
Currently, all UK airports are operating a 100ml liquids rule – meaning liquids can be placed in hand luggage but must be split into containers not exceeding 100ml
Furious passengers were earlier this week left waiting outside in the rain as they spent hours getting through security on June 6
Huge lines have been seen outside the terminal, snaking around the side of the building on June 6
The change affects passengers travelling from London City, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford, Southend and Teesside airports.
All of the airports have Next Generation Security Checkpoints (NGSC) in operation, which had allowed them to scrap the 100ml rule.
The high-tech CT scanners create a 3D image of what is inside passengers’ bags and are being introduced in a number of airports across the UK with the aim of speeding up security checks.
Birmingham airport had already been told to keep the 100ml ban while it waited for regulatory approval after installing its new £60million security screening hall, which included the new high tech scanners.
It was previously claimed by insiders that the queues seen at the airport could last for months and the airport is ‘understaffed’, leaving employees ‘overworked’ and ‘struggling’.
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.
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’.