Australia’s airports have been thrown into chaos again with long queues at terminals as millions prepare to board flights for the school holidays.
Shocking scenes from Melbourne Airport show passengers waiting in huge lines on the first Saturday of the break, after many started arriving from 6am.
Passengers reacted with anger at the airport after flights were cancelled at the Jetstar check-in.
‘They turned around and told us we can book another flight for $1000 one way,’ one passenger told 9News after having her flight cancelled.
‘Surely they must have known earlier if there was a problem. Don’t tell us when we get here.’
More than four million travellers are expected to fly during the school holidays, with airline staff telling passengers to arrive up to 90 minutes early.
Huge queues have already formed at Melbourne Airport as Australians try to get away for the school holidays
Melbourne Airport is expecting more than 2.1 million people to pass through its terminals, while Sydney Airport is predicting similar numbers between June 24 and July 17.
Travellers have previously been warned to expect long queues, delayed flights and lost baggage.
Airports have complained of staff shortages after thousands were laid off during the pandemic.
Saturday’s chaos comes after similar scenes at both Melbourne and Sydney airports on Friday.
‘Our forecast shows the July school holidays are going to be even busier than what we saw in April,’ Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said.
‘It’s terrific to see the ongoing demand for air travel. But we won’t sugar-coat the fact that the terminals will be busy during the school holidays, and there will be queues.’
Total passenger traffic recovered to 69 per cent of pre-COVID levels, the airport said.
‘The root cause of these challenges is that every business at the airport is rebuilding its workforce and doing it in the tightest jobs market in nearly half a century,’ Mr Culbert said.
Sydney Airport general manager of operations Greg Hay urged passengers to arrive two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international.
Airports have been plunged into chaos across the country with huge queues forming and travellers warned to arrive hours before their flight with delays expected (pictured, Melbourne Airport)
Melbourne Airport is also expecting similar figures, with more than 2.1 million people predicted to pass through its terminals
Melbourne Airport (pictured) was overrun with passengers with crowds forming at the check-in and baggage drop while Brisbane Airport had long queues stretching from the security check section before 6am on Friday
‘It’s great that passengers are arriving well ahead of their flights, but it’s important to arrive as close as possible to the advised times, and not any earlier,’ he said.
‘Some domestic airlines do not open baggage check-in until two hours prior and if you get to the airport too early you could end up having an additional wait.’
Qantas has borne the brunt of travellers’ ire on social media in recent days, with many reporting their bags missing and delayed flights.
The airline on Thursday said it was ‘pulling out all stops and working with airports and suppliers to ensure the upcoming holiday period is not impacted by the significant disruptions that customers faced over Easter’.
Along with its budget subsidiary Jetstar, it has recruited more than 1000 operational team members with 20 per cent more staff on stand-by rosters than during the Easter period.