The summer getaway just got a lot more stressful. Holidaymakers flying out of UK airports are being told to arrive three hours before departure. The directive comes from a coalition of airline bosses who are fed up with the chaos. They want the government to act. Now.
The warning is stark. Miss the check-in deadline, lose your seat. No refunds. It's a power play. The carriers are sending a message to Whitehall. Sort out the airports or we'll do it for you.
The problem is security. And staffing. And systems. The usual suspects. But this time it's different. The airlines have had enough of the daily scramble. They are demanding a 'fit for purpose' border force. A functioning baggage system. A terminal that doesn't feel like a refugee camp.
One senior executive told me: "We are a laughing stock. Passengers arrive early but still miss flights. The system is broken. We need change, not excuses."
Change is the key word. But can the government deliver? The Transport Secretary is due to meet airline chiefs tomorrow. Expect fireworks. The backbenches are restless. Tory MPs on the Transport Select Committee are sharpening their knives. They want answers.
The opposition is circling. Labour's shadow transport secretary said: "This is a damning indictment of years of Conservative mismanagement. The British public deserves better than three-hour queues."
But this isn't just about politics. It's about money. The airline industry is haemorrhaging cash. Delays, cancellations, compensation claims. The costs are mounting. The bosses want action. They want the government to invest. To streamline. To take back control.
Control. That word again. Brexit was meant to fix this. But the border is still a mess. EU queue versus non-EU queue. It's a lottery. The airlines want a universal system. One queue. One standard. One solution.
Will it happen? Unlikely. Not soon anyway. Whitehall moves slowly. The airlines are impatient. So they are taking matters into their own hands. Three hours it is. Get there early or stay home.
For the holidaymaker, it's a nightmare. A family of four facing an extra hour of airport purgatory. With kids. With luggage. With patience worn thin. The summer of 2023 is shaping up to be a travel disaster.
But there is a silver lining. The demand for early arrival is a warning shot. If the government responds, things might improve. If not, expect more drastic measures. Airlines might start limiting capacity. Or hiking prices. Or flying from alternative airports abroad.
The ball is in the government's court. The clock is ticking. The message from the airlines is clear: get it together or we'll tear it apart.
