Glasgow Airport passengers in travel chaos as holidaymakers queue in car park

Hundreds of passengers at Glasgow Airport have been left waiting in hours-long queues amid summer holiday chaos.

Families were caught up in lengthy delays at the airport after schools finished across the country last week.

Disgruntled holidaymakers claimed they were left standing for hours in queues leading from the main terminal building and snaking out to the car park on Friday morning.

Kevin, from Newton Mearns, was due to fly with British Airways to London at 6.30am. He told the Record he had to push his way to the front of the queue so he didn’t miss his flight.

“We arrived at 5.10am and as soon as we got to the terminal there was a queue of around 700 people which ended in the car park,” he said.

“One member of staff was standing at the top of the escalators directing everyone to the back of the line.

“We panicked but we were advised by a staff member to wait in the queue for 45 minutes and if more time surpassed we would be expedited to the front.

“Time went by and then we were told by a member of staff we should have arrived 3 hours before our flight and it was our own fault.

“We ended up pushing our way to the front so we didn’t miss the flight.

“I am a regular flyer, I’ve never seen the likes of these queues.”

British Airways check-in counters for domestic flights are closed 45 minutes before departure. Check-in counters for international flights are closed 50 minutes before departure.

Kevin added: “I would expect Glasgow Airport to warn passengers of unusually long waiting times.

“Half of the baggage scanners weren’t active, which appeared to be causing the huge queues.”

Passengers caught up in the chaos described the situation as a “complete shambles”.

Suzanne Catherine who travelled to Glasgow Airport on Sunday had a similar experience earlier this week.

She said: “It was a shambles on Sunday. We queued for two hours to check in our luggage with EasyJet. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Another holidaymaker Coleen Brodie said: “It’s a shambles. We arrived on a connecting flight from Gatwick on Thursday and 20 people had no luggage.

“Staff claimed the luggage hadn’t arrived but one of the passengers had an airtag which showed her suitcase was in Glasgow.

“People were filing lost luggage reports. Then the staff went outside and found an entire container of our unloaded luggage on the dock.”

Sharing photographs of huge queues on Friday, one holidaymaker said: “What complete shambles at Glasgow airport it just gets worse every time I visit. The bosses should be sacked for running this.”

Glasgow International Airport handles around 9 million customers annually.

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: “As we enter the peak summer season queues can form at busier times and we would remind passengers to give themselves plenty of time when travelling.”

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