Stansted Airport is set for its busiest week of the year so far as thousands jet away for half-term.

More than 360,000 passengers are expected to pass through its gates within the next 10 days.

The peak of this surge is expected to be February 16, as schools across the east of England break up for the holiday, leading to families fleeing to warmer climates for some winter sunshine.

Some of the most sought-after destinations for sun-seekers include the Canary Islands, southern Spain, Turkey and Dubai.

Stansted bosses say ski enthusiasts are packing their bags for Geneva, Chambery, Grenoble, Turin, Innsbruck and Zurich.

Others are heading off on short breaks to European cities like Edinburgh, Vienna, Amsterdam, Dublin and Barcelona.

The airport is urging passengers to effortlessly navigate the terminal and put into action some straightforward steps.

Braintree and Witham Times: More than 360,000 passengers are expected to pass through its gates within the next 10 days

Operations director Nick Millar said: "Our teams are looking forward to helping passengers get their trips off to the best possible start, but we do suggest a few simple steps that will ensure their journey is as seamless as possible."

He continued: "We recommend that you check with your airline on when you need to arrive at the airport, which is normally two to three hours before departure, and to familiarise yourselves with hand luggage rules.

"This includes the limits in place on liquids, gels and pastes, which must be placed in a clear plastic bag in containers under 100ml.

"We also advise to plan your journey to the airport and check for travel disruption before setting off."

Full details on what passengers can carry through security as hand luggage is available on the London Stansted Airport website.

This influx of passengers follows the airport's busiest January, which saw 1.95million travellers passing through its terminals.

A range of new flight paths are set to launch over the coming months.

They include Royal Jordanian's new service to Amman, British Airways flights to Nice, Florence and Ibiza, as well as new routes from Ryanair, Jet2.com and Sun Express.