‘We left at 5am for a 3pm flight’: travellers facing long waits at Manchester airport

Surging passenger numbers, staff sickness and lack of recruitment have left airport security at a standstill

David and Jasmine Pringle had woken up at 4am to travel to Manchester airport from County Durham after Qatar Airways told them to expect huge delays for their flight to Doha.

Leaving the house at 5am for a 3pm flight isn't ideal," David said. But it's been over two years since we last saw Jasmine's family in the Philippines and we've been desperate to make the journey to see her elderly parents. We've paid the best part of 3k for the flights. Now we just want to get there."