Passengers travelling through Gatwick Airport have reported getting caught in “massive” queues at security, with some forced to run to catch their flights.
Queues of up to one hour at security were reported by one passenger on social media, who said neither the airport or the airline they were travelling with had given any warning of delays.
They said that staff at the airport were unable to provide details on how long the queues would last while others had been told the delays were caused by an increase in volume of people.
“When I asked an employee how long it was taking, I was told: ‘It’s impossible to give you an estimate, sir’,” one passenger said.
Another told The i Paper: “It is chaotic at Gatwick with massive queues for security and loads of people having to run for flights.”
One traveller said they had “never seen anything like it”.
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Read MoreGatwick’s north terminal is understood to be particularly affected.
One passenger told the airport on X: “You need to get the family and assistance queue moving or tell people not to use it. Been stood in it for [over] one hour and the jobsworth is not letting people through!
“A lot of missed flights/delayed flights/complaints coming your way I fear.”
In a response, Gatwick said: “We have seen some intermittent queues for airport security in the North Terminal.
“The queues are moving and we are not aware of anyone missing flights.”
Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport three hours before a long-haul flight and two hours before short-haul and prepare for security in advance.
It comes after experts warned airport disruption could worsen in 2025 with the introduction of fingerprint checks at the EU border and new hand luggage liquid rules.
The EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) is scheduled to be implemented in 2025, requiring third-country travellers to register their biometric details the first time they visit one of the 29 European countries using it.
The automated system is intended to speed up border checks, but disruption is expected early on as technical issues are ironed out.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “These ambitious changes, designed to enhance passenger experience and border security, may initially make air travel to the EU more challenging and time-consuming.”
Heathrow Airport has already warned that it is preparing for its busiest Christmas Day.
The west London airport expects the number of passengers travelling through its terminals on 25 December to be 21 per cent higher than on the same day last year.
It also predicts that passenger numbers for the month as a whole will exceed the previous record of 6.7 million in 2023.
The airport made the forecast after confirming it served 6.5 million passengers last month, up 6.1 per cent from the same month last year, marking its busiest ever November.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged passengers to be aware of their consumer rights in case their festive flights are delayed or cancelled.
Airlines are required to look after delayed passengers during hold-ups, which can include providing food, drinks and overnight accommodation if required.
Selina Chadha, the CAA’s director of the consumer and markets group, said: “While the industry is dedicated to ensuring smooth journeys, we strongly encourage passengers to familiarise themselves with their rights before heading to the airport, so they feel confident and well-prepared to address any unexpected challenges.”
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