While Sydney Airport is at the centre of the chaos, Brisbane Airport is also under pressure as a surge in travel demand coincides with problems associated with airport staff supply.

Last week, Brisbane Airport recorded its busiest day in two years, with 52,000 people passing through the domestic terminal. It is expected to match or surpass that record over the Easter weekend.

In Sydney on Wednesday morning traffic around the domestic terminal was backed up for a kilometre, while queues outside the terminal snaked back for up to 100 metres.

Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert acknowledged passengers would be trapped in long queues as they wait to board flights.

“I want to start by apologising to them for any inconvenience,” he told Sydney radio 2GB on Wednesday.

“It’s another busy day,” he said.

The delays to processing passengers were primarily due to staff shortages.

“Everyone in the aviation industry has been rebuilding their business from the ground up,” Culbert said, adding it was impossible to recruit enough staff and the airport’s security provider had 100 vacancies.

“But then you add on that the Covid issues – on any given day up to 20 per cent of staff can’t come to work due to Covid,” he said.

Security queues were moving well at T2 domestic terminal on Wednesday morning, while check-in wait times were peaking at about half an hour, a Sydney Airport spokesperson told AAP.

It’s expected that more than 80,000 domestic passengers will pass through the airport on Thursday as people get away for the Easter long weekend.

Before the Easter school holiday’s began, Brisbane Airport warned there would be congestion at the terminal.

“To make the airport experience stress-free and help ensure everyone gets away on time, we’re encouraging domestic travellers to arrive two hours ahead of their scheduled departure,” Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Rachel Bronish said.

“If you are planning on driving to the airport, we recommend you jump online and book your car parking spot as far in advance as possible as parking demand has surged beyond usual numbers in recent weeks.”

“Ground staff and security personnel will be working hard to minimise congestion, but we ask passengers to pack their patience and be courteous throughout their travels.”

Culbert said Sydney airport would usually boost its resources to cater for increased holiday traffic but was struggling to find staff.

“We’re doing the best we can – we’re mobilising staff from all different areas of the airport … but the bottom line is when you’re operating at 60 per cent of staff capacity and you’re back at almost 100 per cent of passenger numbers – then there’s going to be a shortfall.”

Passengers are advised to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.

Culbert advised people to check-in online if possible and avoid bringing checked baggage if they could.

Other airports are preparing for increased traffic over the Easter weekend, with expectations it will be the busiest time of the last two years.

Adelaide Airport expects 25,000 people through its recently expanded terminal on Thursday and again on Friday.