Roadworks aimed at easing the flow of traffic around the roundabout near the airport terminal have caused a traffic nightmare, with huge traffic jams and pilots and passengers forced to abandon their cars and running to the terminal to catch their flights.

The jam has affected people both heading for and from the terminal.

"It has taken us one hour to get out of the airport, and there are over 200 people waiting for a bus to turn up," a reader told Times of Malta.

Another described the situation as a 'disaster' and passengers were missing flights. 

"Tourists have been getting off the buses and taxis to make it on time for their flight.I met three couples who lost their flight after more than an hour stuck in traffic," a man reported.

The works were announced on August 1 by Transport Minister Ian Borg, who said that three bypass lanes were being added to Aviation Road so as to ease traffic flows from the Kirkop Tunnel, Gudja bypass and Luqa.

The works were due for completion by the end of summer.