STANSTED Airport is preparing itself for a busy Easter weekend.

It is expected that over 220,000 passengers will pass through the terminal, with many escaping to warmer destinations.

It is anticipated that popular hot-spots will include Sharm el-Sheikh, Marrakech, the Canary Islands, Turkey and Dubai.

Neil Banks, Stansted’s terminal manager, said: “The Easter holidays are traditionally one of the busiest periods for the airport and this year is no different as hundreds of thousands of people jet off to the beach, visiting friends and family or hit the ski slopes of Europe.

“To help cope with the increase in passengers, we will have more staff on duty across the Easter holidays to help passengers through the airport safely and securely and get their holidays off to a flying start.

“It’s also vital that passengers prepare correctly before setting off for the airport as we want them to get it right and avoid unnecessary delays.

“More wintry weather is predicted for the coming week, and with many people possibly not having travelled for a while, it’s really important that passengers plan for their trip, check the current security restrictions and their flight status before they leave home and allow plenty of time for their journey to the airport.

“By following these simple steps and with the hard work of all the teams across the airport, passengers flying from Stansted this Easter should enjoy a stress-free start to their holidays.”

With more wintry weather forecast for many parts of the UK and Europe, and with all the usual security restrictions in place, passengers due to fly in the coming days are advised to check before they travel to help get their holidays off to a stress-free start.