Queues worsen for holidaymakers at Leeds Bradford Airport with staff shortages to wreak havoc on flights this Easter weekend

It comes as airports across the country struggle to deal with the rise in passenger numbers returning to pre-pandemic levels.

Numbers in March were almost three times greater than in January and continue to grow.

Leeds Bradford Airport said it is expecting a busy Easter season, with a 76 per cent return on passenger numbers expected compared to pre-pandemic levels of travel.

Those travelling this week in the lead up to the Easter weekend have been faced with lengthy queuing times.

One passenger took to social media to describe the 'fast track' lane - a paid for service which allows you to skip the regular security queues - as the 'slow track'.

"At Leeds Bradford airport there’s so many people in the fast track that it’s now the slow track." they tweeted.

Another described queues stretched back to the Jet2 desk at 4.45am, while another said:

"Leeds Bradford Airport, 2 1/2hrs and not even reached security yet."

With many staff having been let go at the height of the pandemic the airport is now in a race against time to hire and train up new staff.

Vincent Hodder, CEO of Leeds Bradford Airport, said that despite recent struggles he is 'confident' that the processes are in place to fix the issue.

Mr Hodder said: “The return of some normality to international travel after the past two years is very welcome news. However, we are currently contending with industry-wide issues in recruitment and staffing that are leading to longer times for passengers to move through the airport than usual.

“Although the disruption at LBA is not as severe as other airports, it is not up to our high standards. We would like to apologise to anyone who has experienced excessive queuing in recent weeks and ask for your continued patience as we do everything that we can to ensure a smooth journey for passengers.

“More staff are joining our team every week, so we do feel confident that the processes are in place to fix current issues. I hope everyone has an enjoyable Easter holiday and we look forward to seeing you at LBA soon.”

Over Easter, the airport is hosting multiple routes to popular destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece, France, and Ireland.

LBA said it has a number of measures in place to address these issues and help ensure that passengers do not miss flights.

Arrive early: Arrive three hours prior to departure to ensure enough time to travel through security.

Prepare your carry-on baggage: Remove all large electronic devices, carry liquids and gels less than 100ml in a one litre zip lock bag.

Empty your pockets: Remove all items from pockets, remove any jackets or coats and remove any boots or high heeled shoes and put them and pocket contents through the x-ray machines.

Documents at the ready: Ensure you have all necessary travel documents, passport, boarding pass and covid documentation (if applicable to the country you are travelling to).

Bring a mask: While use of a mask in the airport is not compulsory, some airlines still require their passengers to wear a mask on board.