Easter Travel Disruption Hits UK Airports as Heathrow and Gatwick Face Long Queues

It’s starting now. You can feel it. Easter is almost here, and UK airports are already getting crowded. Not just busy. Proper packed. For travellers heading to Europe, things might not go as planned. Queues are building up. Some stretching close to two hours at border control. And yeah, that’s where the real delay hits.

At places like and it’s expected to be one of the busiest Easter periods ever. More passengers. More pressure. Flights are full, terminals louder than usual, and everything just feels slower once you’re inside.

The reason? A lot of it comes down to the EU’s Entry/Exit System. Sounds technical. And it is. But what it really means for you is simple — longer waits. The system is still rolling out, not fully smooth yet, and that’s causing delays at border checks for UK travellers entering Europe.

Olivier Jankovec stated:

"Waiting times are now regularly reaching up to two hours at peak traffic times, with some airports reporting even longer queues."

And it doesn’t just start at the airport. Getting there is turning into its own problem. Trains aren’t always reliable this time. So people are switching to cars. More drop-offs. More taxis. Demand is rising quick, especially for early flights. Some drivers already booked out hours before.

You don’t want to leave this last minute. Really. Arrive early, earlier than you think you need. Give yourself time, extra time. Queues won’t move fast, and missing a flight is way worse than waiting around. Booking your taxi in advance helps too, otherwise you might just be stuck refreshing apps.

This Easter, it’s simple. Plan ahead. Expect delays. Move smart. Because once you’re in that queue, there’s not much you can do after.