AIRPORTS and train operators are urging passengers to plan ahead as they prepare for the busiest time of year with hundreds of thousands of travellers embarking on the great Christmas getaway.
Edinburgh Airport, Scotland's busiest hub, is braced to handle more than 130,000 passengers next week as holidaymakers escape the dreary Scottish winter for festive sunshine breaks and others head in and out of the capital for Christmas family reunions.
Nearly 60,000 passengers are expected to touch down in Edinburgh between Monday and December 28, with 73,000 flying out of the city with the Spanish resorts of Tenerife, Alicante, Barcelona, Lanzarote and Malaga the top five foreign destinations for Christmas travellers. London and Bristol are the most popular domestic destinations from Edinburgh.
Gordon Dewar, the airport's chief executive, said: "Many of our passengers will be flying off to escape the Scottish weather and spend the festive season in sunnier climes but the majority will be staying in the UK and travelling to visit friends and family.
"We've had a very successful year at Edinburgh Airport with more passengers travelling through our terminal than ever before, we're confident we'll exceed the 10 million mark during the festive season."
Airport bosses are urging passengers to help ease the flow of traffic through the security hall by making sure all liquids over 100ml are removed from hand luggage.
In past years staff have also had to confiscate toy guns, jars of jam and marmalade and snow globes from passengers travelling with gifts.
Glasgow Airport is also gearing up for its busiest festive season in six years, with around 220,000 passengers flocking to and from the airport from tomorrow until January 2.
Dubai, New York and the Canary Islands are among the most popular destinations for festive travellers heading abroad.
Ronald Leitch, head of terminal and security operations, said: "To ensure our customers' journey through the airport is enjoyable, we would encourage anyone travelling with Christmas presents to take a few moments before they leave home to double check any liquids they may have are properly packed and within the 100ml limits. If anyone is planning to take any presents on their flight, we'd recommend they pack them in their hold luggage as this will help reduce waiting times at security."
Rail passengers travelling between London and Edinburgh are also being urged to keep luggage to a minimum as the East Coast prepares for its busiest week, with Virgin Trains - the major operator for the London-Glasgow West Coast Main Line - also braced for its busiest ever Christmas.
Some 72,000 people have already reserved seats to travel on East Coast services between Monday and Christmas Eve, while on Saturday 27 December alone the London-Edinburgh services are booked to carry almost 30,000 passengers - double the number of people who use the trains on an average Saturday.
More passengers than usual will be using the East Coast Main Line between Boxing Day and December 29 due to major rail engineering works on the West Coast Main Line which has forced passengers travelling to Glasgow to switch to the Edinburgh route instead.
The operator has encouraged passengers to think about their luggage to ensure that there is enough space not just for passengers but also for presents.
East Coast Commercial and Customer Service Director Peter Williams said: "In recent years we've seen a trend towards people bringing bigger suitcases and other bulky luggage onto our trains. While all our trains do have dedicated areas for luggage, there is always a limit to how much space we have, and it has to be shared by everyone on-board the train."
National Express, the UK's largest company, has also reported a 50 per cent year-on-year surge in bookings for the weekend after Christmas as travellers attempt to dodge rail disruption.
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