In an impressive rebound to pre-pandemic activity, UK airports are witnessing their highest flight departures since October 2019. Aviation analytics specialist Cirium reports that on Friday, May 24, more than 3,150 flights are set to take off—averaging over two flights per hour throughout the day and night.
The surge in flights coincides with the onset of a bank holiday weekend and the beginning of a school half-term break, traditionally busy times for UK air travel. Over the four-day period leading up to bank holiday Monday, it’s anticipated that 11,959 flights will depart from UK airports, offering over 2.1 million seats. This marks a 5% increase compared to the same period last year.
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Birmingham Airport is expected to manage an unprecedented rush, with passenger numbers up by 15% from 2023. An estimated 221,500 passengers are projected to travel from Friday, May 24, to Sunday, June 2, averaging nearly 26,000 travelers daily.
Chloë Pardoe, a passenger at Birmingham, described the scene as “Absolute carnage trying to get through security at Birmingham airport, with queues out of the airport door after an hour queue for bag drop. Shocking considering half term is kicking off.”
In response to the congestion, Birmingham Airport has advised passengers to arrive as early as their airlines recommend.
Meanwhile, Manchester Airport is bracing for approximately 100,000 travelers each day during the holiday period, a 5% increase from the previous year. London Stansted expects to handle around 375,000 passengers between Friday and Monday.
Although Gatwick Airport has not disclosed specific passenger numbers, it highlighted that Barcelona, Malaga, and Faro are the top three short-haul destinations, with Dubai, New York, and Orlando leading the long-haul routes.
