AS I mentioned in my last column, the lifting of the UK's last remaining travel restrictions was warmly welcomed by our sun, sea and sangria-seeking holidaymakers and hailed by many business leaders as a vital and timely boost to the fortunes of our ailing aviation, tourism, and travel sectors.

Major industries which throughout the pandemic had been grounded, ignored, and left in the hanger to dry by both our governments.

Sadly, and all to predictably, just as the Easter holidays got underway, the excited bubble of post-Covid travel optimism was quickly deflated at many of our major international airport hubs. Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham and key UK airline carriers, in particular BA and EasyJet, failed to prepare for, capitalise on and manage the rush effectively.

A spectacular own goal which left tens of thousands of angry and frustrated holidaymakers, including a great many Scots, waiting at the gate, out of pocket and praying for a miracle that their holiday plans might still be saved.

An avoidable shambles which the airlines and airports were quick to blame on a surge in demand, and higher than usual levels of Covid staff absence compounded by extreme staff shortages due to thousands of employees leaving the industry during the pandemic, rather than their own bungling.

A miserable catalogue of failures that included incompetent forward planning, catastrophic management at check-in, security, and baggage areas, refusing to reduce the period of Covid self-isolation in line with government recommendations and a laisse-faire attitude over recruitment.

Travel chaos which has seen over 500 UK outbound flights cancelled since last weekend, worrying numbers which are expected to grow over the coming weeks.

Passenger delays for many flights at Manchester Airport, one of the worst affected, have been intolerable, and there have been worrying reports of dehydrated passengers boarding flights only to be told there was no catering or water. And as passengers continue to pour in the disruption and travel chaos spreads, with endless queues of irritated travellers bringing terminals to a complete standstill.

Disturbing scenes of chaos and mayhem which led to frustrated holidaymakers vaulting the security barriers in a frantic effort to make their flights.

As for its baggage reclaim areas, here the carousels are littered with unclaimed baggage and inebriated neanderthals have been seen merrily rummaging through luggage, not their own, and tossing away what they don’t want.

Given the airport's maladroit management, it came as no surprise when its managing director Karen Smart this week made the smart move to walk before she was pushed.

Greater Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, who has considered drafting in police and fire officers to tackle the chaos, announced on Wednesday that in agreement with airport management, a string of measures intended to ease the disruption will be introduced, including “making strenuous efforts to recruit, which should have been done earlier” as well as “bringing in additional staff to help organise large numbers of people passing through the airport”

Begging the question, why are these people still in charge of running an airport, if it takes the local mayor to step in and point out the bleeding obvious. I wouldn’t have them running a bath.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, someone who does know a thing or two about running a successful airport, is excited at the return of passengers and has already been on the case of recruiting new staff. He said: “During the pandemic, we lost many valued colleagues and our recruitment campaign to employ 1,000 people has been underway since the end of 2021.” He reckons “it is inevitable there will be some queues and disruption as the recovery begins” and asks passengers to be patient and understanding.

I’m sure they will be, but if passenger air rage is to be avoided through the summer, it will take a biblical effort from both the government and the sector to fill the estimated 200,000 vacancies. I’m not convinced that many of our high fliers at senior management level have the necessary skill sets, work ethic or brain cells to cope.

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