Travellers heading off on holiday from Edinburgh Airport faced frustrating delays on Tuesday after a technical fault brought parts of the airport’s systems to a standstill.
The airport confirmed it had experienced a “minor IT outage” which led to queues building up as passengers tried to check in and get through to their flights.
For many holidaymakers, the timing could not have been worse. Anyone who has ever stood in a slow-moving airport queue with luggage, kids in tow, and a flight time ticking closer will know exactly how quickly a minor delay starts to feel like a major disaster.
Edinburgh Airport said it was aware of the issue and worked to get things back up and running as quickly as possible. Staff were on hand to manage the queues and keep passengers moving, though the disruption was enough to cause visible backlogs in the terminal.
The airport has not yet confirmed exactly which systems were affected or how long the outage lasted, but passengers took to social media to share photos and videos of the lengthy lines snaking through the departures area.
It is not the first time technical problems have caused headaches for Scottish travellers. Airports across the UK have faced increased scrutiny over their IT infrastructure in recent years, particularly during busy travel periods when any hiccup in the system gets magnified very quickly.
With the school holidays in full swing and summer getaways in full flow, Edinburgh Airport is one of the busiest it will be all year. Thousands of passengers pass through the terminal every day during peak season, and any disruption to check-in or boarding systems has a knock-on effect that can take hours to clear.
Passengers are being advised to check in online where possible ahead of arriving at the airport, and to give themselves extra time at the terminal until the situation is fully resolved.