British tourists visiting the continent this weekend are facing a double-whammy thanks to ongoing disruption from yesterday’s global IT outage, with huge queues seen at the Port of Dover.
Flight delays and cancellations are expected to continue after yesterday’s chaos, with experts warning it could take weeks for systems to fully recover.
Some of those currently stranded abroad have been warned they may not get back until Wednesday, reported the Daily Mail, with 50,000 flights going to, from or flying within the UK disrupted.
The warning came as thousands of families embark on summer holidays amid the end of the academic year for schools throughout the UK.
Travel association Abta urged holidaymakers to check with providers if there are “any extra steps” they may need to take.
A spokesperson said: “We’re at the start of one of the busiest periods of travel, with some schools finishing for the summer yesterday and many more next week.
“Many people will be jetting off abroad – looking to escape the UK’s unseasonable weather of late.
“With Spain, Turkey and Greece among the popular destinations for an overseas trip.
“If you are heading off on holiday this weekend – by whatever means – it’s advisable to check with your travel provider if there are any extra steps you need to take, as some businesses are continuing to feel the impact of Friday’s IT outage.”
Pictures taken at the Port of Dover showed massive lines of cars snaking back along the motorway in a stark illustration of what was in store for holidaymakers.
A spokesman today said it was dealing with “hundreds of displaced” airport passengers and urged customers to ensure they had a booking before arrival.
It also posted on X that approach roads were “slow moving”, with a 60-minute wait time in the buffer zone.
Ferry operator DFDS said on the social media platform there were wait times of up to two hours at Dover border controls and 30 minutes at check-in.
Posting on X, Dover MP Mike Tapp warned: “Airport issues are having an impact on Dover Port.
“The relevant teams are working hard to keep the roads moving.”
A flawed update rolled out by CrowdStrike, one of the world’s largest cybersecurity providers, knocked many businesses offline around the world on Friday, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems.
CrowdStrike chief executive George Kurtz said he was “deeply sorry” for the situation and said CrowdStrike was “actively working” with those impacted.
Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned it could take “weeks” for all computers and systems to be fully restored, while Mr Kurtz said it would take “some time”.