News

Manchester Airport boss warn queues and delays could continue for ‘months’

CEO of Manchester Airport Group (MAG), Charlie Cornish, has apologised to "anyone who has been affected by the disruption".

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th April 2022

Bosses at Manchester Airport have warned that the current queues, delays, and cancellations could continue “for the next few months”.

After what has been a few weeks of travel bedlam at the UK’s second largest airport, that has particularly been impacting travellers this over this past week, with many hit by cancellations due to staff shortages and long waits of up to 90 minutes or more, Manchester Airport bosses have been speaking out to warn that the chaos could continue.

CEO of Manchester Airport Group (MAG), Charlie Cornish, has released a statement this morning on the ongoing matter and has apologised to “anyone who has been affected by the disruption”.

It comes after the Airport’s Managing Director, Karen Smart, stepped down from her role earlier this week after being appointed at the start on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and would be leaving to return to the south of England and “pursue fresh career opportunities”.

It also comes after Manchester Airport has recently cited COVID challenges and staff absences after the aviation sector has “effectively been in survival mode” for the past two years.

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Read more: Manchester Airport boss steps down amid another week of travel chaos

Mr Cornish said in his statement that he “wants to be clear” about what people can expect in the next month or two as the Airport “tackles these challenges”.

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“The simple fact is that we don’t currently have the number of staff we need to provide the level of service that our passengers deserve and despite our efforts since last Autumn, the tight labour market around the airport has meant we have just not been able to hire people quickly enough to establish a full-strength team.

“Practically, staff shortages mean that we cannot open all the security lanes we need and at times, this results in longer queues than we want to see.

“While we still expect most passengers to get through in less than 30-40 minutes, there will be times over the next few months when waiting times will rise to between 60 and 90 minutes.”

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He also gave an update on the Airport’s current recruitment process and how it plans to deal with the staff shortages in the short term, explaining that: “We are busy recruiting new officers and taking them through the rigorous training and testing needed to work in aviation security and while these vetting processes are rightly demanding, they have made it more difficult for us to recruit the people we need, with more than half of those we offer jobs to finding another vacancy before the process is complete.

“But the response has been positive.

“We have interviewed more than 4,000 people over the last two months, many have already started in the operation, and more than 200 people are currently going through the security checks that are needed before they can start training.

“We expect around 250 new security staff to start in the operation by early May.”

Bosses at Manchester Airport have warned that delays could continue “for the next few months” / Credit: Iwan Shimko (via Unsplash)

Having resigned to the fact that delays will continue, Manchester Airport has now issued advice to those travelling over the coming months so that people can prepare for the situation as they find it.

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“We understand that people will feel anxious about missing their flights,” Charlie Cornish explained.

“So for now, we are advising passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight leaves, to allow enough time to check-in, get through security and reach the departure gate. If passengers follow that advice, and allow more time than normal, we are confident they will get away on their travels.”

Read more: easyJet cancels over 200 flights due to COVID staff absences

While we are advising passengers to expect longer queues than usual as we continue our recruitment drive, I also want to be clear that a huge amount of work is going into improving the situation in the short-term,” Charlie Cornish concluded in his statement.

“Our focus for the next four weeks is on delivering a more predictable and reliable level of service for passengers.”

Featured Image – MAG

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Family pays tribute to ‘much-loved son’ who died after Wigan bus crash

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Family pays tribute to 'much-loved son' who died after Wigan bus crash

The family of a man who died in a tragic bus crash in Wigan have paid a moving tribute to him.

Luke Hill, 28, was involved in a collision between a bus and a motorbike earlier this month, and sadly passed away in hospital the following morning.

The incident occurred on the Wigan Road junction of Alexandra Road, at around 11.54pm on Thursday 6 August – and GMP are still appealing for members of the public to come forward with CCTV, dashcam, or information.

The driver of the bus remained at the scene following the crash, and continues to support police with their investigation.

Paying tribute to Luke, his family described him as a ‘rock and much-loved part of the family’.

His mother said that living without him feels like a ‘terrible nightmare’.

Paying tribute, Luke’s mum, Sharon, has said: “Luke was my son, my rock, and a much-loved part of our family. There are simply no words to describe the pain of losing a son, especially in such a tragic way.

“It still doesn’t feel real. I keep expecting this terrible nightmare to end and for you to be here with us again.

“Luke was a beloved son, brother, uncle, nephew and grandson. He meant so much to so many people, and he will be deeply missed by all his family and friends.

“We miss you more than words could ever say. The pain of losing you is something we will carry with us forever, but so will the love and memories you gave us.

“The whole family is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking loss. We kindly ask that everyone respects our privacy and allows us the time and space we need to grieve.

“You will never be forgotten, Luke.

“We love you and miss you so much.”

Officers are continuing to appeal for any witnesses who may have seen the moments leading up to this incident, or anyone who has mobile phone or dash cam footage, to come forward and assist the investigation.

Anyone with information can contact police via 0161 856 4741 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting the log number 4225 of 06/08/2026.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Featured image: GMP

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Government issues UK-wide temporary ban on sale of disposable barbecues due to wildfire risk

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues has been issued nationwide.

Following the UK’s fourth heatwave of the summer, and as many regions declare drought conditions, the Government has made the decision to issue a temporary ban on the sale of disposable barbecues due to wildfire risk.

According to new guidance published online this afternoon, disposable barbecues pose a ‘significant risk to the public’ due to the current heatwave conditions.

A disposable barbecue is defined as a fuel tray or grill grid that includes charcoal fuel ‘sufficient to provide cooking temperature for the duration of a single cooking episode’.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the UK as a ‘tinderbox’ and urged ‘all retailers big and small’ to withdraw the sale of disposable barbecues to prevent further wildfires, but following the shocking scenes in Stourbridge which raged overnight, it appears this has been escalated to a formal temporary ban.

The ban applies to all producers and distributors of the product – including retailers that make disposable barbecues available on the British market – and includes online sales too.

A Government statement reads: “During the current drought and heatwave conditions, the Government considers that the supply and subsequent foreseeable use of disposable barbecues poses a significant risk to the public, and the environment, and therefore cannot be considered a safe product.

“They should not be made available for supply either in store or online at the current time.

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“These guidelines will be kept under review, and will be withdrawn in consultation with relevant departments and agencies, as weather conditions change sufficiently to significantly reduce the risks.”

Featured Image – Dom (via Unsplash)

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