INCENSED passengers have described chaotic delays huge queues at Manchester Airport as ‘hell on earth’.

Travellers have reported long queues at check-in desks and security early on Tuesday morning.

The fury follows months of delays caused by staff shortages.

Some holidaymakers say they have missed flights whilst others have waited four hours to claim luggage.

Several passengers vented their anger on social media.

Mhari Oakes, from Whitegate, described the mayhem at 6.15am on Tuesday in a tweet saying: “Hell on earth this morning @manairport – avoid it like the plague.

“Everyone missing flights despite getting their three hours before departure.

“Absolute and complete chaos. No check in staff.”

She added: "You work hard to go on holiday and relax, but it's the most stressful experience. 

"The shops in duty-free are also suffering because all you can see are people running through them as fast as they can to catch their flight.

"After three or four hours of waiting, the chances are that unless you speak up for yourself and push through to the front of the queues of about 500 people and point out that your flight is about to leave in 15 minutes, you will miss it.

"This morning has been a nightmare."

Another passenger said the queue from the crammed check-in hall stretched as far back as the railway station.

Holidaymakers blasted the airport for having ‘no organisation and no communication’.

Frustrated passengers feared missing their flights as they were stuck in security queues 40 minutes before their planes were due to take off.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “We apologise to any passengers whose experience at Manchester Airport this morning was not how they would like it to be.

“As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we continue to advise customers there may be some times when security queues are longer than usual, which is why we advise people to arrive three hours before their flights.

“On Tuesday morning, while the vast majority of people passed through security in under 30 minutes, waiting times peaked at around one hour in one of our terminals for a brief period of time, and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

"By 7am, security queues in all three terminals had improved significantly, and were as low as 15 minutes in the best case.

“We are also aware some passengers reported delays when checking in with their airline, and collecting baggage on their return.

"All parts of the aviation sector are experiencing challenges linked to the rapid recovery from the pandemic and we are working hard with all our partners, including handling agents, airlines and others to deliver the best possible service we can in the circumstances.”