EasyJet has cancelled 1,700 flights for the summer - affecting tens of thousands of holidaymakers.
Flights scheduled between July and September were axed due to air traffic control (ATC) restrictions. Most of the flights are at Gatwick Airport, west Sussex.
According to the Independent newspaper, 180,000 passengers are affected by the cancellations. ATC restrictions were enforced due to strikes, staff shortages, and airspace closures related to the war in Ukraine.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
Fridays and weekends are expected to be most at risk of disruption.
Travel experts have now warned that holidaymakers could face further disruption over the summer months due to strikes.
A statement from easyJet said: “We are currently operating up to around 1,800 flights and carrying around 250,000 customers per day with more crew and pilots flying than ever before and like all airlines, we review our flights on an ongoing basis.
“As Eurocontrol has stated, the whole industry is seeing challenging conditions this summer with more constrained air space due to the war in Ukraine resulting in unprecedented ATC delays, as well as further potential ATC strike action.
“We have therefore made some pre-emptive adjustments to our programme consolidating a small number of flights at Gatwick, where we have multiple daily frequencies, in order to help mitigate these external challenges on the day of travel for our customers, and we continue to operate around 90,000 flights over this period.
“Customers whose flights are affected are being informed, with 95% of customers being rebooked onto an alternative flight and all customers provided with the option to rebook or receive a refund. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused.”
The airline insisted the delays are not due to staff shortages, which plagued the aviation sector last year. Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “I’ve been warning for some time that our UK airport infrastructure, along with continuing people shortages at airlines and ground handlers, cannot cope with the massive summer demand.
“Just when you thought you had secured a flight to your summer holiday paradise, it gets changed and causes more inconvenience and stress. Airlines have to get better at planning and delivering, not letting down customers at short notice.
“EasyJet aren’t the first and won’t be the last to take such action this summer.” Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said: “Hearing your flight has been cancelled will be devasting news for all those who have made their summer travel plans and are beginning to get excited about their holidays.
“Changes to travel plans late in the day can be stressful, and those impacted by the easyJet cancellations will be having to seek alternative flight arrangements now. However, for context, these cancellations only represent a small percentage of the total summer departures and of course, many will depart for their holidays as planned.
“Disruption because of congested airspace is an issue facing the airline industry during this very busy period but it’s essential that airlines do all they can to ensure that there is as little disruption to travellers as possible and work to ensure that consumer confidence in the travel industry remains high.”
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said the possibility of further cancellations and disruption this summer remains high.
They added: “These cancellations will be incredibly disappointing for thousands of travellers whose summer holiday plans could be in jeopardy. easyJet must ensure it is doing everything it can to assist passengers impacted by this decision and ensure they can easily access help to be rerouted or refunded at the earliest available opportunity.
“While the air traffic control strikes continue, the possibility of further cancellations and disruption this summer remains high. A repeat of last year’s failings by some airlines and airports cannot be allowed to happen again, so the aviation regulator must monitor this situation closely and be ready to take action in the event airlines fail in their legal responsibilities to passengers.
“The DfT recently signalled its support for fining powers for the CAA, and the prospect of further chaos this summer only underlines that these powers cannot come soon enough. The Prime Minister must show he is on the side of consumers before it is too late – and must prioritise legislation for new enforcement powers in the King’s Speech later this year.”
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link
