Britons brace for strikes, traffic jams and border delays as Easter exodus returns

Airlines hope to avoid the chaos of last year as huge numbers head for the beaches of Europe, surpassing pre-pandemic bookings

Holidaymakers are heading to Europe in huge numbers this Easter, piling pressure on airlines to avoid a repeat of last year’s travel chaos.

Flight bookings from the UK to Europe have leapt by 12% compared with the 2019 Easter period, before the pandemic, according to ForwardKeys, a flight data provider, while European tourists are tending to stay at home.