Understaffed airports and airlines struggle to cope with rush of travellers

Passengers queuing up at the check in counters at London Heathrow Airport recently. — Bloomberg

Understaffed airports and airlines from Australia to Europe are struggling to cope with a fresh rush of travellers, with long queues and flight disruptions expected to persist during the holiday season.

Passengers checking in at Sydney Airport recently waited for hours in queues snaking outside terminals. Staff absences are running as high as 50% at Qantas Airways, while the airport’s workforce is little more than half its normal size. Britain has also been hit by disruptions and flight cancellations.