TRAVELLERS have been advised to bring just one bag to board flights in order to beat the rush at chaotic airports.
Industry leaders told holidaymakers to consider travelling light rather than bringing checked in luggage in an attempt to reduce delays.
Thousands of holidays have already been ruined by delayed and cancelled flights, as well as huge queues at airports across the UK.
British holidaygoers have been left devastated with EasyJet and Tui some of the airlines which have authorised mass cancellations.
Andy Prendergast, national secretary of the GMB union, told The Times: “It is one less thing to worry about. If people can check in online and do not take [large] bags, that limits the disruption.
"It’s not a magic bullet but it does reduce the chance of there being problems.”
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Paul Charles, chief executive of the PC Agency, a travel consultancy, said that where possible, “passengers should consider packing lightly and travelling with a small bag they can take on board the aircraft”.
This means that holidaymakers would have to buy toiletries and sun cream either abroad or in duty free shops pre-departure.
And travel chaos does not look to be stopping soon, compounded by half-term and the Jubilee weekend coming at the same time.
Cirium, the aviation data firm, said that 377 flights from UK airports were cancelled in the seven days up to and including Tuesday.
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Gatwick had 151 cancellations, Manchester 41, Heathrow 36, Bristol 27 and Edinburgh 19.
The advice came as airlines were yesterday accused by ministers of wasting police time after armed officers were deployed to escort passengers from an aircraft “abandoned” by a leading airline amid chronic staff shortages.
Airports are struggling with staff shortages after letting thousands of employees go during Covid.
One passenger described Heathrow Terminal 5 as an "utter shambles", with a "gigantic queue for security".
British Airways has cancelled at least 124 short-haul flights at Heathrow on Wednesday.
While some passengers waited for eight hours at Manchester Airport only to be told that their flight was axed.
Airports across Europe have also struggled to cope with the surge in demand for travel after the pandemic eased. More than 1,000 passengers missed flights at Dublin airport on Sunday because staff shortages forced travellers to queue for hours for security.
And the blame game over travel chaos continued last night as Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, told airport bosses to “get a grip” before summer and to provide quick compensation to those whose holidays had been ruined.
The transport secretary added that while he understood the pressure caused by a surge in post-pandemic travel demand, “it does not excuse poor planning and overbooking flights”.
Airlines were also slammed for a "problem of their own making".
A Home Office source said: “It’s an appalling waste of police resources from airlines, who should know better. Airlines need to get a grip and focus on delivering for their customers.
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“They can’t expect the state to repeatedly bail them out. This is all a problem of their own making. They treated staff appallingly throughout the pandemic.
"They didn’t innovate and didn’t come up with a solution but just came complaining to the government.”
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