There are serious delays and long lines at airports in Europe due to staff shortages and increased demand. If you are planning to fly this summer, here are some tips to help you make it through long airport wait times and potential delays.
Many passengers didn't make it inside the terminal buildings to catch their flights because of long security screening, airline check-in and bag-drop lines at major airports across Europe. Images posted on social media show long lines outside airports including Dublin, London, Amsterdam, and Lisbon, with some passengers reporting that they were waiting for hours just to get into the terminal buildings.
The Dutch carrier was forced to temporarily stop selling tickets for most of its flights out of Amsterdam from Thursday through Sunday. Dublin Airport officials estimated that more than 1,000 passengers missed their flights on Sunday due to long lines and apologized for the hassle.
Due to significant queues inside the terminal for check-in, bag drop & security, passengers queueing outside the terminal may not make their flight & may need to contact their airline to rebook. We sincerely apologise for the obvious frustration and inconvenience this may cause.
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) May 29, 2022
Increased passenger numbers and staff shortages are being blamed for delays. The International Air Transport Association expects passenger numbers in Europe to reach a full recovery in four years. Many companies were not anticipating travel to return so quickly and are scrambling to recruit and train new hires.
Before traveling to Europe this summer, Americans should ask 5 questions.
The chaotic scenes witnessed over the past few days have prompted some airports to advise passengers to arrive early, prepare their liquids and laptops for security checks, and ensure their passports are up-to-date.
While officials need to work on long-term solutions to manage queue as summer travel approaches, here are some things you can do to help the process run a little smoother if you are flying from a European airport.
This will save you a lot of time. You can plan your arrival time based on the security screening wait times that airports share with their apps.
Your airline's app will help you anticipate disruptions. When you download the mobile app, you will generally get immediate alerts and some airlines will offer re-booking options and notifications through the app when facing delays.
As soon as you get to the airport, take a picture of your boarding pass. You can save it on your Apple wallet. You can save yourself a lot of time at the airport if you have an offline version of your boarding pass.
If your boarding pass is stored on your phone, you don't want to have a dead battery when you get to your gate. You should pack a portable battery charge and cables for your phone in your luggage.
British Airways and Jet2 allow customers to check their bags a day before departure. If your airline offers this service, you should find out.
Ask experts about the best tips for summer travel.
You can get through security quicker with fast-pass access at some airports. Demand for it has increased in recent weeks, so it is not always available. It is a good idea to inquire before you get to the airport because there have been widespread complaints that the fast lanes have been the same as the regular lanes. It is worth asking your airline about priority boarding access and advance check-ins.
With passengers spending more time in the airport than usual to get ahead of the queue, many shops, cafes and restaurants are running low on food and drink options to meet increased demand. Burger King ran out of fries before 11am on Monday, while some retailers sold out of sandwiches and meals on Sunday. In the UK, people traveling on flights from the UK may need to bring their own food and drink in the coming weeks because of a shortage of staff at the company's Catering supplier.
If you bring snacks that you know you can check through security screening, drinks over 100ml will have to be purchased on the other side.
LBC reported that passengers were camping on the floor at the airports as flights were pushed out until Monday. It is likely that you will be spending more time in the airport this summer than you would like. If you have loose fitting clothes that you can stretch your legs in and a scarf that you can roll up into a ball to rest your head on, the wait might be a little less torturous.
Thousands of passengers missed their flights in Dublin this weekend due to mismanaged queue, but many of their airline partners offered them the ability to change their booking without additional charges. Those who missed their flights and incurred additional charges were directed to the airport's customer support team to claim vouched expenses.
This isn't something that every airline or airport will offer, so make sure you know what options are available before you fly. It is a good idea to have a travel insurance policy that covers you for missed flights.
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