British tourists face double whammy as IT outage and long waits | kbnmart

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British tourists visiting Europe this week are facing major disruption as the fallout from yesterday’s global IT outage continues. Huge queues have formed at the port of Dover, compounding the travel chaos.

Flight delays and cancellations continue

Flight delays and cancellations are expected to continue following yesterday’s IT problems, with experts warning it could take weeks for systems to fully recover. According to the Daily Mail, some passengers currently stranded abroad have been told they may not return until Wednesday. The disruption has affected around 50,000 flights to, from or within the UK.

Peak travel season worsened by IT problems

The warning comes as thousands of families begin their summer holidays, coinciding with the end of the school year for schools across the UK. Travel association Abta has urged holidaymakers to check with their providers to see what extra steps they may need to take.

An Abta spokesperson said: “We are at the start of one of the busiest travel periods, with some schools finishing for the summer yesterday and many more next week. Many people will be travelling abroad – looking to escape the unseasonable weather in the UK recently, with Spain, Turkey and Greece among the popular destinations for overseas trips. If you are heading on holiday this weekend – by any means – it is advisable to check with your travel provider to see if there are any additional steps you need to take, as some businesses are still feeling the impact of the IT outage on Friday.”

Chaos in Dover Port

Images from the Port of Dover show huge queues of cars stretching along the motorway, highlighting the extent of the disruption. A port spokesman said it was dealing with “hundreds of evacuees” from the airport and urged customers to make sure they had a booking before arriving. The port also posted on social media platform X, noting that the approach roads were “slow moving”, with waiting times of up to 60 minutes in the buffer zone.

Ferry operator DFDS said waiting times were up to two hours at border checks in Dover and 30 minutes at check-in. MP for Dover Mike Tapp “Airport problems have impact on Dover port,” Channel X warned.

Tips for travelers

Travellers are advised to stay informed by regularly checking updates from travel providers and planning for potential delays. With the combination of IT outages and high travel volumes, ensuring that all travel documents and bookings are in order will be critical to minimising disruption.

Stay safe and plan accordingly to deal with this difficult travel period.