Easter airport gridlock: Airlines express fury with Theresa May

PA

With the Easter getaway in full force, furious airlines have issued a written warning to Home Secretary Theresa May that passengers will experience gridlock and dangerously understaffed borders at airports due to government-imposed staff cuts.

Eleven operators including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have voiced their concerns over the austerity measures, which mean that a total of 8,500 jobs are to be axed, around 1,800 of them from the UK Border Force.

The British Air Transport Association (BATA) says that these measures, along with increased pressure on staff, mean that there will be 'unacceptable delays" for passengers. Their warnings come as nearly 600,000 people will fly from Heathrow and Gatwick between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Border Force staff numbers have already fallen by more than one quarter in the past 18 months. At the same time, staff are being asked to examine every individual passport as part of the more rigorous regime implemented by Theresa May.

The knock-on effects of delays in the immigration hall can quickly lead to gridlock. Hold ups can trigger delays picking up baggage, which means that airlines waiting to unload their luggage will also be delayed, bringing airports to a halt during busy periods.

Simon Buck, chief executive of the BATA, told The Sun newspaper: "We want to have a reassurance from the government that the UK Border Agency is being properly resourced to ensure that there aren't delays to passengers and to airline operations at peak travel times.".

Labour MPs including Chris Bryant, shadow immigration spokesman, have voiced concerns that the cuts will leave "the security of the UK exposed".

The UK Border Force said it was drafting in extra staff for the busy Easter period, insisting that border security would not be compromised.