A family boarded their flight with just minutes to spare after being forced to walk down a motorway slip road to reach Birmingham Airport, following a lorry crash that brought the M6 to a standstill.
Desperate measures
Kaiya Brown, 33, from Leicestershire, her husband, and their two children, aged four and five, were heading to Lanzarote for their first-ever family holiday abroad. They had allowed five hours for what is normally a 30-minute journey, but a crash involving a lorry carrying cars left them stuck in gridlock.
With suitcases in hand and two young children, the family made the decision to scale an embankment and walk along a closed slip road to escape the traffic jam. Brown described feeling "stressed and panicked" as they rushed to the airport.
Help from strangers
Brown said that other drivers got out of their cars to help with the children and luggage, and police assisted them across the road once they reached the top of the slip lane. They then ordered another Uber to continue their journey.
The chaos unfolded near junction 2 of the M6 on July 2. The lorry had overturned and crossed both sides of the motorway, requiring a crane to clear the carriageway.
A monumental holiday
Brown said the holiday was a significant milestone for the family, who had not been abroad for eight years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and high childcare costs. They had booked an airport lounge for the children to see planes for the first time, but missed it due to the delay.
Despite the stress, Brown said she was grateful they took the risk, as they would have "100% missed" their flight and holiday otherwise. The family made it to the gate as the last passengers to board.
