Air travel disruption which has made half-term travel plans a misery across the country could be set to hit Brits on their summer getaways, say experts. There have been dire warnings that this may not be the last break where holidaymakers arriving at airports face chaos as flight after flight is cancelled amid continuing staff shortages.
The concern was raised as thousands of BA workers were balloted for industrial action. BA engineers at Heathrow, Gatwick and in Scotland and call centre staff in Newcastle and Manchester are also reportedly involved in the strike ballot.
Ali Haynes, her partner and five-month-old baby arrived at Luton airport three hours before their easyJet flight for Palermo was due to depart, only to learn the plane had been grounded. She said: “We’re now stuck in Luton departures with no information on what next. Holiday ruined.”
Issues have hit crisis point as airlines are struggling to recruit new staff. Critics say they were too quick to axe workers at the start of pandemic and have compounded the error by selling too many tickets, gambling that they would hire enough new crew in time.
Heathrow chief John Holland-Kaye, below, said airlines and airports needed to “plan much better” to avoid further cancellations and delays this summer. He added: “I think it will take 12 to 18 months for the aviation sector to fully recover capacity.”
Kully Sandhu, managing director of Aviation Recruitment Network, said it was struggling to fill more than 250 posts, from baggage handlers and shop workers to lorry drivers. Some companies were offering signing-on bonuses of “anything from £500 to between £1,500 and £2,000,” Mr Sandu added.
He said: “It could be up to 12 months before we see staffing at airports back to pre-pandemic levels.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, represents independent travel agents. She said: “About 30% of all calls that they’re receiving now are from customers who have bookings for July and August and they are worried.”
Meanwhil hundreds of BA check-in colleagues at Heathrow began voting today on whether to go on strike in a row over pay. The GMB union said it was because a 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic has not been reinstated.
National officer Nadine Houghton said: “British Airways faces a gruelling summer of travel chaos if they won’t give these workers what’s theirs.”
BA hit back: “It’s disappointing. After two years which saw the business lose £4billion, these colleagues were offered a 10% payment for this year which was rejected.”
The transport secretary is not expected to discuss strikes with BA until the results of the ballot are counted after the June 23 cut-off. Unite has also warned Ryanair flights from Stansted could face “serious disruption” this summer amid a pay dispute with a ground handling firm.
Department for Transport officials are reportedly holding internal meetings to draw up plans to stop any travel chaos over the summer holidays. They will discuss flashpoints with airlines and airports including over-booking and taking customers’ money without the capacity.
“We can’t have a repeat of what happened over half-term, and will be talking to them,” said a DfT source.
Wizz Air apologised for the cancellations, as did easyJet, which added it operated over 1,600 flights today. EasyJet cancelled 60 services to and from the UK, Wizz Air scrapped seven flights and British Airways cancelled 124 Heathrow flights, although the airline said affected passengers were given advance notice.
