Easter weekend’s getaway ‘no gos’: Holidaymakers are warned to avoid THESE roads and areas at peak times – as families are forced to change their plans for the four-day Bank Holiday amid travel chaos

• As many as 21.5million car journeys are expected to be made in the UK across the four-day Easter weekend
• If the estimate is correct, it will be the highest figure for an Easter bank holiday since RAC began its records
• Good Friday to be busiest day, with as many as 4.6million car journeys expected, followed by Easter Monday
• Experts say the A303 near Stonehenge, the M25 clockwise around Surrey, and the M6 to face congestion
• Easter weekend rush to roads expected despite fuel prices last month rising fastest rate since records began 
• Are you changing your holiday plans because of the disruption: Contact: [email protected] 

Britons have been warned they face an Easter weekend of motoring misery, with clogged up motorways, busy A-roads and a hefty fuel bill on what could be one of the busiest bank holidays travel days on record. 

As many as 21.5million car journeys are expected to be made in the UK across the four-day Easter weekend, the first free of Covid restrictions in more than two years. If estimates are correct, it will be the highest figure for an Easter bank holiday since the RAC first started tracking motorists’ plans in 2014.

It also comes as holidaymakers face potential chaos at understaffed airports, with millions expected to fly out or back to the UK over the four-day weekend. 

Meanwhile, holidaymakers planning to hop across the Channel are facing disruption due to P&O Ferries cancelling Dover-Calais crossings this weekend. The announcement came after two of its ships were detained due to safety concerns following its sacking of 800 crew members last month.

That has forced Britons to change their holiday plans, with one travel chief today telling MailOnline how staff at his firm have had to rebook more than 150 journeys due to suspension of P&O Ferries services.

On the roads, Good Friday is set to be the busiest, with as many as 4.6million car journeys expected, as people head away for the four-day weekend.

Which roads will be busiest this Easter? And when they be busiest? 

Good Friday

Estimated trips: 4,620,000 

Worst roads for congestion: M6 north J26 Liverpool to J36 South Lakes around middle of the day; M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around late morning; A303 approaching Stonehenge during the morning

Worst time to drive: Between 9.30am and 7pm

Easter Saturday

Estimated trips: 3,630,000

Worst roads for travel congestion: A303 approaching Stonehenge around late morning; M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around middle of the day

Worst time to drive: Between 10am and 2pm.

Easter Sunday 

Estimated trips: 3,630,000

Worst roads for travel congestion: M25 clockwise J8 to J16 around middle of the day; A303 approaching Stonehenge around middle of the day

Worst time to drive: Between 10am and 2pm

Easter Monday

Estimated trips: 3,960,000

Worst roads for travel congestion: M25 clockwise J8 to J16 early afternoon; M6 south J20 for the M56 to J16 Stoke-on-Trent early evening; M3 north J14 for the M27 to J7 Basingstoke early afternoon

Worst time to drive: Between Midday and 2.30pm 

Easter Monday, when many head back from their travels, is predicted to be the busiest, with up to 4million leisure journeys expected.

With so many people taking to the roads this weekend, travel experts are warning of possible delays on the roads, including at well-known pinch spots such as the A303 near Stonehenge.

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s worst bottlenecks, the road, an arterial route to the south-west of England which narrows from two lanes to just one near the famous monument, is expected to be busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in both directions.

RAC chiefs expect the A303 near Stonehenge to be busiest on Friday morning, late Saturday morning and around the middle of the day on Sunday.

Meanwhile the M25, commonly dubbed the ‘Road to Hell’, is expected to be busy across the weekend. According to the RAC, it will be busiest in Surrey, clockwise from J8 (Reigate) to J16 (Langley Corner/M40) around late morning on Friday and in the same place around midday on Saturday.

Again, the same stretch of the London orbital motorway will be busiest on Sunday around midday and early afternoon on Sunday.

The stretch includes junctions for Heathrow Airport, the M3, the M40, the M4 and the A3, making it one of the most concentrated sections for major motorway connections on the M25.

In the north the M6 north between junction 26 (Liverpool) to junction 36 (South Lakes) will be one of the busiest stretches on Good Friday, as motorists head to the Lake District and Scotland. It is expected to be busiest around middle of the day on Friday.

The M6 South from junction 20 (Runcorn/M56) to junction 16 (Stoke-on-Trent) is also expected to be busy around the early evening time on Easter Monday.

Similarly, on Easter Monday, the M3 north from junction 14 (Eastleigh/M27) to junction 7 (Basingstoke) is also expected to be busy late afternoon.

RAC bosses say the best time to drive is before 9am and after 7.30pm on Good Friday, after 3pm on Saturday and Sunday, and before 10.30am and after 6.30pm on Monday in order to avoid the rush.

RAC traffic spokesperson Rod Dennis said: ‘After two years of relatively quiet Easter bank holidays on the roads, our research suggests a return to traffic levels that are much more typical of this time of year, and it’s very possible this weekend could turn out to be one of the busiest for leisure journeys for many years. 

‘Add in the impact of disruption on the rail network and one of the biggest fixtures of the sporting calendar taking place this weekend and you have all the ingredients needed for problems on the roads. Traffic volumes will likely be even higher if some warm spring sunshine makes an appearance.

As many as 21.5million car journeys are expected to be made in the UK across the four-day Easter weekend, the first free of Covid restrictions in more than two years. This graphic shows when and where drivers are likely to hit traffic this weekend, according to the RAC using data from INRIX

Meanwhile the M25, commonly dubbed the ‘Road to Hell’, is expected to be busy across the weekend. According to the RAC, it will be busiest in Surrey, clockwise from J8 (Reigate) to J16 (Langley Corner/M40) around late morning on Friday and in the same place around midday on Saturday. Pictured in 2019

RAC chiefs expect the A303 near Stonehenge to be busiest on Friday morning, late Saturday morning and around the middle of the day on Sunday. Pictured in 2020

In the north the M6 north between junction 26 (Liverpool) to junction 36 (South Lakes) will be one of the busiest stretches on Good Friday, as motorists head to the Lake District and Scotland. It is expected to be busiest around middle of the day on Friday.

Similarly, on Easter Monday, the M3 north from junction 14 (Eastleigh/M27) to junction 7 (Basingstoke) is also expected to be busy late afternoon. Pictured in 2019

What are the travel pinch points Britons face this weekend?

Roads

As many as 21.5million leisure trips are expected to be made by car between Good Friday and Easter Monday. Usual pinch points, including A303 Stonehenge, the M6 north between Liverpool and The Lake District, and the M25 clockwise around Heathrow Airport.

Trains

Rail passengers are also being warned of Easter delays as Network Rail carries out 530 engineering projects costing a total of £83million. There will also be major disruption on Transpennine services due to industrial action, while London’s Piccadilly Line and Gatwick Express will disrupt travel to and from both Heathrow and Gatwick.

Airports

Industry chiefs are warning of more queues and delays at UK airports this week due to ongoing staffing issues. The union representing Border Force officials, the Immigration Services Union (ISU), is also warning that ‘catastrophic understaffing’ and an influx of passengers returning to the UK after the Easter school holidays could lead to long queues at Border Control. 

The Port of Dover  

Channel crossings have been delayed in recent weeks since P&O Ferries stopped its movements from Dover to Calais in the aftermath of its decision to sack 800 of its crew without notice. And now the firm has confirmed it will not undertake passenger sailings between Dover and Calais this Easter weekend- regarded by industry experts as the most intense for Channel crossings. The emergency Operation Brock Zero, which closes off traffic to non-freight vehicles on the M20 in order to stack lorries wanting to cross the Channel, has been activated and remains in place. P&O had planned to restart its crossings in time for Good Friday. But the firm suffered a setback yesterday when it was announced the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had detained a second vessel over safety fears. 

‘The key to avoiding the worst of any jams is planning. Put simply, the earlier you leave in the morning the more likely you are to miss the worst of the queues, especially if you are travelling a longer distance – although a fifth of drivers we polled said they were planning on driving shorter distances this Easter, specifically because of the extremely high cost of petrol and diesel at the moment.’

Mr Dennis also urged drivers to ensure their cars are ‘road ready’, by ensuring their cars have enough fuel, topped up oil, enough coolant and road-legal tyres before they travel. 

‘As well as leading to queues of traffic, vehicle breakdowns also have the potential to ruin the long weekend for drivers and anyone they’re travelling with, so we’re urging people to make sure they’re vehicles are ‘road-ready’ before setting out,’ Mr Dennis added.

‘This is even more important for anyone travelling longer distances than they have for several months. A breakdown is much less likely if a car’s oil and coolant levels, as well as tyre pressure and tread depth, have all been checked before setting out.’

The Easter weekend rush to the roads will come despite fuel prices spiralling in the UK in recent months. The average petrol prices rose by 12.6p per litre between February and March, the largest monthly rise since records began in 1990, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Average fuel prices hit 163p per litre at the end of last month.

Diesel prices also rose by 18.8p per litre this year, compared with a rise of 3.5p per litre a year ago. Average diesel prices were at 177p on March 31. 

Meanwhile, fuel supplies have also been disrupted in recent weeks due to protests by activists from Just Stop Oil, which has been attempting to block oil refineries up and down the UK. Last week some petrol stations ran out of fuel following the disruption. 

However experts believe, even with high fuel prices, there will still be record traffic numbers this weeked.  Bob Pishue, INRIX Transportation Analyst, said: ‘Even with a significant increase in petrol prices, we expect a large jump in holiday driving compared to the last few years. 

‘Drivers should expect congestion on major roadways around urban areas and popular destinations. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.’

National Highways customer services director Melanie Clarke said: ‘This is the first bank holiday of the year, so we expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long weekend. To help keep disruption to a minimum, we’re lifting more than a thousand of miles of roadworks.

‘The last thing anybody wants on the way to their destination is to have a vehicle breakdown. That’s why it’s really important people spend a few minutes checking the condition of their tyres before setting off.’ 

Brent crude oil hit a multi-year high of $128 in early March – up from lows of $19 seen at the peak of the pandemic

Some petrol stations were forced to close after running out of fuel. The delivery of diesel appears to have been hampered the most by protestors at oil terminals in southern England and the Midlands. Pictured: A sign reads ‘No Fuel’ with a sad face drawn at a Sainsbury’s petrol station in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham

The holiday plans of thousands of Britons have today been left in ruins after P&O Ferries suspended all of its passenger services across the Channel over Easter – one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

In a move that will leave Britons scrambling to find a new route to the continent for their Easter getaway, the under-fire ferry firm last night revealed it would not run any passenger services between Dover and Calais this weekend.

The company, which suspended sailings afters its controversial decision to sack 800 of its crew without warning last month, had hoped to restart Channel crossings ahead of Good Friday.

But last night the ferry firm confirmed the suspension of its services would continue over the Easter weekend. 

It comes after two of the firm’s vessels were detained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) over safety fears.

Yesterday the MCA detained The Spirit of Britain in the Port of Dover after finding ‘deficiencies’ during a safety inspection. The Pride of Kent was also detained earlier this month.

P&O Ferries had hoped The Pride of Kent would be released by the MCA following a fresh inspection yesterday.

But last night the MCA revealed it had found ‘additional deficiencies’ and said the vessel would remain detained. 

In a Tweet, the ferry firm said last night: ‘Dover-Calais: April 15 to April 18. Our Passenger services are suspended this weekend. We sincerely apologise.

‘For travel April 15-18 please re-book directly with another operator before arriving. DFDS are not able to transfer P&O customers on their ships’.

Rival ferry firm DFDS, which plans to run more than 100 sailings each way per day between its two routes of Dover and Calais and Dover and Dunkirk, said it hoped to run five extra crossings this weekend.

But the company urged passengers not to arrive at the Port of Dover without a booking, saying it already had high demand.

In a Tweet, the firm said: ‘DFDS has no availability for P&O customers between April 15, 00.01 and April 18, 23.59. 

‘Please do not proceed to port without a confirmed reservation, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.’ 

Industry insiders say the Easter weekend is the most intense for passenger Channel crossings, because traffic is concentrated over a four day period compared to summer, which they say is usually ‘spread out’.

However they say freight traffic, which has been building up on the M20 in Kent as part of the emergency Operation Brock Zero plan, is usually less busy over Easter.  

Experts have warned there could be a build-up of freight traffic again today as lorry drivers attempt to get across the Channel before the start of the Easter weekend. 

Meanwhile, Car Insurance Expert at Confused.com Alex Kindred, also agreed the weekend was likely to be busy on the roads. He said: ‘Bank holidays tend to go hand in hand with traffic jams. Our research found that more than half (53 per cent) of drivers setting off on journeys this weekend will be on the roads on Saturday, so it’s set to be a busy one. 

‘To avoid congestion, planning journeys ahead and considering alternative routes that aren’t as popular will hopefully mean you see less traffic.

‘We also found that one in two (49 per cent) motorists said they would check their fuel levels above all other car checks before they set off, so clearly fuel is still a concern, as prices remain very high.’

Knowing where your cheapest options are for purchasing fuel can be confusing, so it’s definitely worth checking before you set off this weekend so you’re not stuck with the most expensive spot.’

It comes as the holiday plans of thousands of Britons were left in ruins after P&O Ferries suspended all of its passenger services across the Channel over Easter – one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

In a move that has left Britons scrambling to find a new route to the continent for their Easter getaway, the under-fire ferry firm last night said it would not run any passenger services between Dover and Calais this weekend.

The company, which suspended sailings afters its controversial decision to sack 800 of its crew without warning last month, had hoped to restart Channel crossings ahead of Good Friday.

But last night the ferry firm confirmed the suspension of its services would continue over the Easter weekend. 

It comes after two of the firm’s vessels were detained by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) over safety fears.

Yesterday the MCA detained The Spirit of Britain in the Port of Dover after finding ‘deficiencies’ during a safety inspection. The Pride of Kent was also detained earlier this month.

P&O Ferries had hoped The Pride of Kent would be released by the MCA following a fresh inspection yesterday.

But last night the MCA revealed it had found ‘additional deficiencies’ and said the vessel would remain detained. 

In a Tweet, the ferry firm said last night: ‘Dover-Calais: April 15 to April 18. Our Passenger services are suspended this weekend. We sincerely apologise.

‘For travel April 15-18 please re-book directly with another operator before arriving. DFDS are not able to transfer P&O customers on their ships’.

Rival ferry firm DFDS, which plans to run more than 100 sailings each way per day between its two routes of Dover and Calais and Dover and Dunkirk, said it hoped to run five extra crossings this weekend.

But the company urged passengers not to arrive at the Port of Dover without a booking, saying it already had high demand.

In a Tweet, the firm said: ‘DFDS has no availability for P&O customers between April 15, 00.01 and April 18, 23.59.  Please do not proceed to port without a confirmed reservation, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.’  

The move has had a knock on impact on holiday firms, who have had to rebook Channel crossings in order to keep their orders fulfilled.

Ian Henry, the boss of Leger Holidays, an an-award winning travel firm which organises coach trips to France, told MailOnline the situation was a ‘farce’.

He said his firm had managed to rebook 150 ferry trips with rival operators in the coming months – including those over the Easter weekend.

But he said staff at cost his firm time and money to rebook and keep customers informed. He said: ‘To me it seems to a farce that such a major company could end up in a situation where it is exposed and customers are exposed.

‘We’ve managed to rebook all of our customers with different (ferry) providers. But it has been a lot of work of our staff, not just rebooking the ferries but also contacting customers. It has cost us time and money.’

Ian Henry, the boss of Leger Holidays, an an-award winning travel firm which organises coach trips to France, told MailOnline the situation with P&O Ferries was a ‘farce’

He said larger firms like his had working relationships with ferry firms, making it easier for them to make changes. But he said many of those impacted will be individual families travelling over the continent by car.

Mr Henry also said P&O would have to ‘work hard’ to regain the trust of travel operators once again.

‘We’ve booked not just for this weekend but looking forward as well. We aren’t just going to start these relationships with other firms and then stop. So P&O will have to work its way back.’

He also took a swipe at the Government, urging ministers to work hard to find a solution. He said: ‘The Government seems to be standing back and not doing things. This needs to be sorted.’

Meanwhile, Eurotunnel bosses today told MailOnline how they had seen a surge in bookings due to the P&O suspension. John Keefe, Director of Public Affairs at Getlink/Eurotunnel, also said passengers had elected to book earlier Channel crossings in a bid to avoid the rush.

He said: ‘It is a pattern we are seeing more and more – people booking off-peak times. If you travel during peak times you pay more for travel and you are travelling with more people. It is something we saw a lot in the last half-term and we’ve seen again this time.’

Mr Keefe also said cross Channel services had initially struggled with the loss of P&O crossings, and a combination of other factors, including storms in the Channel that had disrupted crossings. He said the situation had improved since, but said he would welcome the return of P&O Ferries services.

‘Having those two or three ships back would be helpful, of course. But the MCA is absolutely right to insist on the highest of standards. It is the busiest shipping lane in the world and it requires a high standard of safety.’ 

The firm last night it would not run any passenger services between Dover and Calais this weekend, dashing the four-day weekend getaway hopes of thousands. Yesterday the MCA detained The Spirit of Britain in the Port of Dover after finding ‘deficiencies’ during a safety inspection. The Pride of Kent was also detained earlier this month.

In a move that will dash the four-day weekend getaway hopes of thousands, P&O Ferries last night confirmed the suspension of its services would continue over Easter. Pictured: Queues on the entrance to the Ports of Dover on April 9

Industry insiders say the Easter weekend is the most intense for passenger Channel crossings, because traffic is concentrated over a four day period compared to summer, which they say is usually ‘spread out’. However they say freight traffic, which has been building up on the M20 in Kent as part of the emergency Operation Brock Zero plan, is usually less busy over Easter

It comes as Grant Shapps yesterday warned Britons to brace for an Easter weekend travel nightmare, with the potential of clogged roads, airport understaffing and huge disruption at the Port of Dover.

Grant Shapps warns of weekend of travel disruption 

Grant Shapps says Britons face a weekend of travel disruption, warning that roads, ports and airports are likely to be ‘extremely busy’.

He also raised ‘concern’ that transport hubs were not yet ‘up to strength’ despite all of the UK’s Covid travel restrictions being lifted.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: ‘I think certainly this weekend will be extremely busy on our roads, potentially at our ports, and of course, particularly at Dover, where P&O disgracefully sacked all of their staff and then attempted to run ships that wouldn’t have been safe with replacements below minimum wage.

‘We know none of their ships are running at the moment. So I do expect there to be disruption, with no thanks to P&O there.

‘It is also the case for the very first time that Brits are able to travel much more freely that other nations because we don’t have Covid restrictions now that other places have to travel.

‘People want to travel. I’m very concerned the operators, the airlines, the airports, the ports, do ensure that they get back to strength and quickly.

‘They have lost a lot of people during the pandemic, we have been warning them for a long time that they would need to gear up again.

‘I’m very keen to ensure that they manage, what always is at Easter weekend, a very busy weekend on our transport network.’

The Transport Secretary warned the country’s travel network is likely to be ‘extremely busy’ this weekend – the first double bank holiday since the ending of England’s Covid measures.

Airports, which have already faced weeks of disruption due to staffing issues, could also be hit once more.

Millions of Britons are set to jet-off or arrive back in the UK across the four-day weekend – the first major holiday since the Government lifted all international travel restrictions.

Border Force union chiefs have already sounded the alarm, warning passengers they face long queues at Passport Control due to ‘catastrophic understaffing’. 

Rail passengers are also being warned of Easter delays as Network Rail carries out 530 engineering projects costing a total of £83million. 

Yesterday, in a round of morning interviews, Mr Shapps warned Britons that roads, ports and airports were likely to be ‘extremely busy this weekend’.

He also took aim at transport chiefs, saying he was ‘concerned’ that ports and airports had not managed to get ‘up to strength’ since the lifting of Covid measures. 

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: ‘I think certainly this weekend will be extremely busy on our roads, potentially at our ports, and of course, particularly at Dover, where P&O disgracefully sacked all of their staff and then attempted to run ships that wouldn’t have been safe with replacements below minimum wage.

‘We know none of their ships are running at the moment. So I do expect there to be disruption, with no thanks to P&O there.

‘It is also the case for the very first time that Brits are able to travel much more freely that other nations because we don’t have Covid restrictions now that other places have to travel.

‘People want to travel. I’m very concerned the operators, the airlines, the airports, the ports, do ensure that they get back to strength and quickly. 

‘They have lost a lot of people during the pandemic, we have been warning them for a long time that they would need to gear up again.

‘I’m very keen to ensure that they manage, what always is at Easter weekend, a very busy weekend on our transport network.’

Grant Shapps (pictured) yesterday warned Britons to brace for an Easter weekend travel nightmare, with clogged roads, airport understaffing and huge disruption at the Port of Dover

Pictured: Travel information for this year’s Easter weekend 

It comes after a second P&O Ferries vessel was detained in Kent yesterday over safety fears. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) says detained The Spirit of Britain in the Port of Dover after finding ‘deficiencies’ during a safety inspection.

It was the second of the firm’s ferries to fail a safety test by the MCA, following its decision to detain The Pride of Kent.

Q&A: What is the reason for the airport chaos – and what should passengers be doing about it? 

What is the reason for the airport chaos?

Aviation chiefs have blamed a perfect storm of problems on the recent airport disruption. Passenger numbers plunged during the height of the Covid pandemic, and airport and airline operations were downsized as a result. And some firms say they have struggled to ramp up their operations quickly enough to meet demand – which has surged again over the Easter school holidays. With all UK Covid travel restrictions now lifted, airports have reported passenger numbers have risen up to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. And they are expected to continue rising this summer – which is the busiest time of year for the aviation sector. On top of longer-term staff shortages and an increase in passenger numbers, airports and aviation firms say they are currently facing a wave of Covid absences which has exacerbated the existing problems.

But surely companies were aware this rush was coming – why haven’t they just restaffed?

Airline and airport staff, like any job, require training. But unlike many professions, there are extra steps, including obtaining security clearances and background checks. This whole process can take up to six months in the most sensitive of roles – such as immigration officers with Border Force – and the Government, firms and unions say they have no intention of cutting corners on security. Some industry bosses have also suggested Brexit has played a role, because airlines no longer have access to a pool of EU workers to fill the gaps.

So when will it be fixed?

Unfortunately, some travel experts have warned the delays could last up to six months in some areas of the airports where staff require more extensive training and security and background checks. The issue has, for now, mainly been with outbound passengers queuing at check-in and airport security. But the Immigration Services Union – which represents Border Force officials – warns that there could be long delays at passport control areas from Bank Holiday Monday when many UK holidaymakers return. Speaking about the airport crisis Ms Moreton told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘Border Force isn’t immune to this. There have been staffing problems within Border Force for some time. Border Force is no longer attracting enough candidates to fill the vacancies that they’ve got. Combined with the fact it takes nearly a year to fully train a Border Force officer, going into not just this summer, this weekend, catastrophically understaffed, with people beginning to travel again… we do anticipate that the queues will move from security based queues going outward to Border Force queues coming back in.’

So what should passengers do?

Many airports, including Manchester, which has been one of the worst hit transport hubs, and Stansted, have urged passengers to arrive early to mitigate for longer queues and to avoid potentially missing their flights. Usually passengers are advised to arrive at least two-hours early for their flights, but many airports are urging arrivals to turn up three-hours in advance. Unfortunately, there is no set in stone policy for compensation or refunds on flights missed due to airport delays – unlike if a flight is cancelled or delayed – so passengers should arrive early to avoid any problems. If boarding is approaching and customers are stuck in a queue, it is advised to let a member of airport staff know and they may be able to fast-track you.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

Along with longer queues, passengers have also been hit with a wave of flight cancellations and delays. Yesterday, easyJet axed 32 flights. However it said all the flights were cancelled in advance and passengers had been given prior warning.  Meanwhile, BA has reduced its schedule by 50 flights due to staff shortages. Under current rules, passengers delayed by more than three hours, or those whose flights are cancelled at short notice, are entitled to at least £220 in compensation. They also have the right to be re-routed or refunded, except in ‘extraordinary circumstances’.  

The decision comes after P&O controversially sacked 800 seafarers without notice last month.

The company had planned for the Spirit of Britain to restart crossings again on Thursday, ahead of what is expected to be a busy weekend for Channel crossings.

However, after a two-day reinspection of the Spirit of Britain by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, it was yesterday confirmed that the vessel had failed a number of key safety tests.

A spokesperson for the MCA said: ‘The Spirit of Britain has been detained due to surveyors identifying a number of deficiencies which were grounds for detention.

‘We have advised P&O to invite us back once they have addressed the issues. We do not know yet when this will be.’ 

Then, in a further blow, the MCA last night confirmed the Pride of Kent would remain detained in Dover after a reinspection found ‘additional deficiencies’.

A spokesperson said: ‘The Pride of Kent will remain detained following the reinspection of the ferry today which found a number of additional deficiencies including in safety systems and crew documentation.

‘We have advised P&O to invite us back once they have addressed the issues. We do not know yet when this will be.’   

The MCA has been making its way through inspections of eight P&O Ferries to ensure they are fit to sail.

The Pride of Hull and European Causeway have been inspected and cleared to sail.

A P&O Ferries spokesperson said: ‘The Spirit of Britain will remain berthed in its current port, following inspections by the Maritime & Coastguard Authority (MCA).

‘In the past few days, both the European Causeway and the Pride of Hull have been deemed safe to sail by the MCA, and we continue to work with all relevant authorities to return all our ships to service.

‘We take the safety of our passengers and crew very seriously and look forward to all of our ships welcoming tourist passengers and freight customers again as soon as all mandatory safety tests have been passed.’

A DfT spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘P&O’s unacceptable actions have resulted in its vessels being detained, causing backlogs and traffic jams which would be substantially alleviated if its fleet was operating normally.

‘We continue to work around-the-clock with the Kent Resilience Forum, police and regional leaders work to ease disruption and support those affected at Dover.’

It comes as airline passengers also face potential disruption to their getaways this weekend.

Consumer groups are calling on the Government to get tough on the aviation industry – including giving authorities the power to fine airlines – as the recent airport ‘shambles’ continued yesterday.

Holidaymakers said they faced ‘carnage’ at Manchester Airport yesterday morning, with long check-in queues and delays at the security – while arrivals at Stansted said they were waiting in ‘snail’s pace’ queues at passport control.  

Consumer chiefs are urging the Government to get tough on the airline industry, who they say must quickly fix the ‘shambles’ – which has been blamed on staff shortages and a sudden surge in demand in air travel.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said airlines, airports and the Government must make it a priority to learn from the disarray seen in recent days – ahead of the summer holiday rush later this year.

Mr Boland said: ‘Lessons should be learnt from the travel shambles this Easter. With many in the industry predicting a busy summer, the Government must work with airlines and airports to ensure they have the resources and capacity to handle increased passenger numbers, as there can be no excuse for a repeat of these failings.’

Mr Boland also criticised the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport, arguing the Government should have handed the aviation regulator fining powers to punish airlines who fail to give compensation to delayed customers.

He said: ‘Airlines wouldn’t be ignoring the law and their passengers’ rights if the aviation regulator had some teeth,’ he said. 

‘The Department for Transport can support consumers by equipping the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with direct fining powers. 

‘It should also drop its plans to change compensation rules for UK flights which are an important deterrent against passengers being treated unfairly.’ 

Under current rules, passengers delayed by more than three hours, or those whose flights are cancelled at short notice, are entitled to at least £220 in compensation.

They also have the right to be re-routed or refunded, except in ‘extraordinary circumstances’. However consumer groups have claimed that passengers are not always being offered or given what they are entitled to.

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport is also proposing changes to the legislation, which would see compensation capped at the ticket price on domestic routes. 

Holidaymakers are expected to return in their hundreds of thousands on Monday, following a four-day weekend and the end of the Easter school holidays.

Astonishing pictures show airline passengers queueing in the underfloor car park of the airport outside Terminal 1 on Tuesday morning

Inside the terminal on Tuesday, pictures showed huge queues at check-in and at baggage enquiries – where passengers usually go to report damaged or missing luggage

‘Shambolic’ disruption is also said to have continued at Birmingham Airport yesterday. Passengers reported 90 minute queues for security on Tuesday

Passenger numbers could hit as high as 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels over the weekend, experts predict, at a time when airports are still struggling to re-staff after downsizing their operations during the Covid pandemic.

Figures dropped by as much as 75 per cent between 2019 and 2020, from 297million to just 74million in 2020. However airports have struggled to recruit, train and obtain security clearance for staff in time for the Easter school holidays.

This, along with Covid absences, has been behind long queues at check-in and security at airports such as Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester since Friday.

And today Grant Shapps warned Britons face a four-day weekend of travel disruption from Friday.

The Transport Secretary has sounded the alarm for the upcoming Easter weekend, warning that roads, ports and airports were likely to be ‘extremely busy’.

He also raised ‘concern’ that transport hubs were not yet ‘up to strength’ despite all of the UK’s Covid travel restrictions being lifted.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: ‘I think certainly this weekend will be extremely busy on our roads, potentially at our ports, and of course, particularly at Dover, where P&O disgracefully sacked all of their staff and then attempted to run ships that wouldn’t have been safe with replacements below minimum wage.

‘We know none of their ships are running at the moment. So I do expect there to be disruption, with no thanks to P&O there.

‘It is also the case for the very first time that Brits are able to travel much more freely that other nations because we don’t have Covid restrictions now that other places have to travel.

‘People want to travel. I’m very concerned the operators, the airlines, the airports, the ports, do ensure that they get back to strength and quickly.

‘They have lost a lot of people during the pandemic, we have been warning them for a long time that they would need to gear up again.

‘I’m very keen to ensure that they manage, what always is at Easter weekend, a very busy weekend on our transport network.’

Meanwhile, officials now have warned that an influx of passengers arriving back in the UK, combined with staffing issues within Border Force, could result in huge queues and long waits at airport immigration halls. 

Lucy Moreton, General Secretary of the Immigration Services Union (ISU), also said  Border Force employees were being moved from transport hub in the south to Dover to help process migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. 

Those staff, she said, are in turn being replaced by immigration officials from airports in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However she warned this was leading to spiralling costs for the taxpayer.

Speaking about the airport crisis Ms Moreton told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme yesterday: ‘Border Force isn’t immune to this. There have been staffing problems within Border Force for some time. 

‘And for the first time in living memory, Border Force is no longer attracting enough candidates to fill the vacancies that they’ve got.

‘Combined with the fact it takes nearly a year to fully train a Border Force officer, going into not just this summer, this weekend, catastrophically understaffed, with people beginning to travel again, and of course those that went out earlier this week will be coming back by the middle of next week, the school holidays having finished.

‘We do anticipate that the queues will move from security based queues going outward to Border Force queues coming back in.’

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