Holidaymakers were left worried on Tuesday after Heathrow airport asked airlines to stop selling flights for this summer.
In an unprecedented move, the aviation hub announced a daily cap on passenger numbers until 11 September, saying that the airport could handle no more than 100,000 travellers each day.
The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder answered reader questions on what this means for your holiday and whether your flight will be affected during an ‘Ask Me Anything’.
Here are 13 questions answered by Simon.
Will the Heathrow cap and disruption at Gatwick mean my flight is cancelled?
Q: I’m due to fly from Heathrow to San Francisco on BA’s morning flight on Sunday 31 July (on a trip that has been postponed since 2020). Do you think it is likely to be cancelled due to the passenger number cap? (Flight looks pretty full, as does their only other SFO flight in the afternoon).
A: I understand your concern about the possibility of cancelling flights, because the Heathrow cap came completely out of the blue this morning. But at every possible opportunity, airlines have kept long-haul flights going – they are far more profitable, and also have fewer alternative means of transport. So I confidently predict your trip will go ahead as normal.
Q: I have an easyJet flight booked from Madrid to Gatwick on 12 August. I am travelling to look after my sister for a week after she undergoes an operation. I am very worried that easyJet will cancel my flight and I won’t be able to go over. Do you think my flight will be cancelled, seeing as Madrid is not a very hot tourist destination?
A: First, I wish your sister well for the operation. Next, easyJet has already made thousands of flight cancellations to and from Gatwick, and the number of departures at short notice is now low. So the overwhelming odds are that your flight will go ahead as normal. But if I am wrong, British Airways and its partner, Iberia, have lots of flights between them throughout the day between Madrid and London Heathrow. Your airline must get you to your destination on the same day if your original flight is cancelled, and if easyJet cannot find a seat for you then it must pay for a trip on a rival airline.
Q: I have a flight booked Gatwick to Marrakech on 30 July with BA. I can’t find it on the flight timetable anymore. Could it be that it’s just fully booked and no longer availability or is it likely to be cancelled? All looks OK on the ‘My Bookings’ section of the app, no sign of cancellation yet.
A: Assuming it is BA2666 from London Gatwick to Marrakech at 5pm on 30 July, a quick check at ba.com/schedules indicates it is still going. As with a lot of flights in late July and August, though, it is no longer for sale – presumably having filled up fast.
Q: My BA flight from Heathrow to Pisa in 12 days is showing as under risk of disruption. I have been given the option to do nothing or to change flights. Not sure what to do. It’s not clear if these other flights available are also under risk or could become so in the next few days. Should we just wait until the flight is actually cancelled? Worried there will be no alternatives if we don’t act now. Have BA contacted all passengers affected by the most recent cancellations?
A: How disconcerting. I will try to find out more from British Airways. Meanwhile in your position I would do precisely nothing.
Q: I’m due to fly from Heathrow to Stockholm at 11:20am on Thursday 14 July. I already had my return flight on Sunday 18 July cancelled two weeks ago (I’ve since rebooked onto the earlier 11am that same day). Given I’m flying short haul, what do you think the likelihood is that either flight will be cancelled? Stressed!
A: A friendly reminder that it’s always handy for me if you explain which airline you are travelling with. I have tracked down that it is BA. The flight is still on sale (though at extremely high fares) and I am very confident it will go ahead. Hope your trip goes well.
Q: I’m traveling from LHR to the US on 20 July with Aer Lingus via Dublin. Any advice given that I’ll be flying a day before potential strikes? I’ve heard nothing from the airline so far. Any particular advice re travel insurance for this particular circumstance?
A: I am sorry to hear of your concerns but I cannot see any cause for alarm at this stage.
Travel insurance is not relevant in cases such as this when you have strong consumer rights to alternative transportation under European air passengers’ rights rules.
What are my rights?
Q: As part of an independently booked trip I am due to fly from northern Norway to Oslo with SAS on Friday 22 July. SAS are rebooking flights where possible due to strike action but only for flights on or before 13 July(at the moment).
The place I am staying is quite remote and the next non-SAS flight after mine is not for another 3 days. If the flight is cancelled do SAS have to provide me and my party with accommodation in the absence of alternative onward travel options?
A: Yes, in theory SAS is responsible for your stay. It may, though, be something of a battle claiming your cash back.
Q: Haven’t tried to travel abroad since Covid started, now regretting that I bothered this year. Taking a family of six to Germany in August, flying from Heathrow. Have booked Eurowings flights, accommodation, car hire and event tickets all separately. Flights have already been rescheduled once (to leave on the evening before the previous booked date).
After the news of more cancellations at Heathrow, what is the likelihood of the flights being cancelled? Will I be covered for all related costs from travel insurance if they are? Or should I bail on the hope of flying at all, and look at alternative plans, such as driving?
A: It is possible that Eurowings (part of Lufthansa) will cancel the odd flight to and from Heathrow in August. I put the chance of your flight being cancelled as below 5 per cent. Were it to be cancelled, you will probably be given lots of notice and should be able to find a convenient alternative in accordance with the protection offered by the European air passengers’ rights rules.
On-the-day cancellations can never be ruled out, but were this to happen the number of flights to Germany, and the excellent onward transportation from major airports, make it most unlikely that you would struggle to reach your destination.
For example, if you are booked to fly on Eurowings to Cologne, in the event of cancellation there are other departures to neighbouring Dusseldorf. If all flights to western Germany are grounded, then there is the option of Eurostar trains from London St Pancras to Brussels and onwards from there to Cologne. Any of which, Eurowings would have to pay for.
I can see no reason to imagine that your trip will be lost, and therefore no value at this stage in assessing the options for recompense. I hope you have a happy and much-deserved holiday.
Should we bail on flying at all this summer?
Q: Do we bail on the hope of flying at all, and look at alternative plans, such as driving? But what is the risk of the Channel crossing being detrimentally impacted by volume/strikes, etc this summer?
A: I hope you won’t find this response unhelpful, but to restate and expand:
1) The chance of your flight being cancelled is low, say 5 per cent.
2) In the unlikely event that it is grounded in advance, you will probably be given lots of notice and will be able to find a convenient alternative in accordance with the protection offered by the European air passengers’ rights rules.
3) On-the-day cancellations can never be ruled out, but were this to happen the number of flights to Germany, and the excellent onward transportation from major airports, make it most unlikely that you would struggle to reach your destination.
Is my flight still flying?
Q: Very quick one. If showing on BA schedule is it still flying?
A: Quick answer: if your flight is still on sale at ba.com there is every chance it will go as normal. If it is not on sale but still showing at ba.com/schedules it is likely full.
Is it better to book summer flights from a smaller airport?
Q: Is it better to book flights from a smaller airport such as East Midlands as they seem to be less affected by the cancellations that Heathrow is experiencing?
A: Heathrow and Gatwick have certainly seen by far the largest number of cancellations of any UK airports this summer, both in absolute terms and relatively – they are respectively the busiest and second busiest airports in Britain. But even so, the chances of a flight currently on sale being cancelled are very low. To avoid using either airport because of cancellations would be, I suggest, an unnecessary precaution.
What about City Airport?
Q: Are BA cancelling flights to City Airport? We have a return flight from Barcelona to City at the end of August.
A: A handful. Nothing to worry about.
What’s the latest on the July strikes?
Q: Do you have an update on the AFS strike at LHR 21 to 24 July?
A: Members of the Unite union employed by Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) Ltd at Heathrow airport have voted strongly in support of striking in a dispute over pay.
Industrial action in the form of a 72-hour strike is set to take place over the busiest weekend of the year so far at Heathrow: from 5am on Thursday 21 July to 04:59 on Sunday 24 July.
Unite says: “The strike action will cause considerable disruption and delays throughout Heathrow.
“AFS provides fuelling services to over 70 airlines at the airport including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, United, SAS, Air France, Emirates, Delta, JAL, KLM and Singapore Airlines.”
Experience suggests, though, that as with any small group of workers in aviation, the refuelling staff will reach a settlement before the action begins: the economic damage per striking worker could be astronomical. If I am wrong, and the stoppage does go ahead, I imagine that will be because management has a cunning plan to keep refuelling on schedule – aided by some short-haul airlines arriving with lots of fuel in their tanks (known as “tankering”) so they don’t need to refuel at Heathrow at all.
These are a selection of question and answers from Simon Calder’s weekly ‘Ask Me Anything’. To round off the hour of questions, Simon said: “Sorry there is so much concern out there about flights to and from Heathrow. It will almost certainly be just fine.”
Check back soon for Simon’s weekly ‘Ask Me Anything’ and make sure you’re signed up to receive his travel newsletter by putting your email address in the box at the top of this article or via our newsletters page.
