Airlines are poised to cancel potentially dozens more flights this week in a move which could put hundreds of holidays at risk.
After months of delays, cancellations and huge queues at airports, the government has introduced a 22-point plan to attempt to calm the chaos.
As part of its proposals UK airlines have been given permission to give back flight slots so they are able to reduce their schedules.
This should help airlines which are struggling to fulfil their schedules, whether due to staffing issues or having overpromised on the number of services they can operate.
It will also mean that an unknown number of schedule flights could be grounded, with affected passengers likely moved onto similar services or bumped off completely.
The airlines have until Friday 8 July to finalise their plans and decide which services will no longer be going ahead this summer.
As two weeks' notice must be given for a flight to be cancelled, the first trips likely to be affected will be on the weekend of July 23 and 24.
Ryanair, Jet2 and TUI have already said they have no plans to take up on the opportunity to cancel any slots.
However the Independent reports that British Airways and easyJet are expected to cancel more flights this summer, and will likely tell passengers this week if they're affected.
It is likely that those impacted will either have their journey cancelled outright and will be offered a refund, or they'll be put on a similar flight.
Cancelling slots means airlines are able to reduce costs by running fewer, but fuller services.
It's not great news for passengers however, who may be severely inconvenienced or face forking out more due to fewer seats meaning prices are pushed higher.
Popular routes with multiple flights per day, such as those to Alicante, Amsterdam, Malaga, Nice and Faro could be impacted.
Under European air passengers’ rights rules, any passenger whose flight is cancelled can insist on being rebooked on the same day if a seat is available. This could even mean that the original airline pays for you to fly on a rival carrier.
However, because demand is likely to be high, it may be difficult for another seat to be found.
If two weeks' notice is provided before the flight is cancelled, no cash compensation beyond the ticket price is payable.
In theory other airlines could jump in to fill the vacated slots, but this is unlikely given the pressure many UK carriers are under.
Due to staffing issues following Brexit and the pandemic, the industry is struggling to get planes properly staffed, baggage handling stations running smoothly and flights in the air on time.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said: "A bit like parking spaces for planes, slots are used to manage capacity at the busiest airports.
"A slot gives permission to use the full range of airport infrastructure (runway, terminal and gates, for instance) necessary to operate an air service at an airport on a specific date and time.
"Highly valuable commercial assets, airlines must use slots a certain amount of times each season in order to keep them. However, many parts of the sector have been unable to recruit enough staff in time to fly the number of flights they have planned for, leading to flights being cancelled at short notice.
"The Government has given airlines a short window to hand back slots for the rest of the summer season that they are not confident they will be able to operate.
"This will help passengers find alternative arrangements ahead of time, rather than face the kind of last-minute cancellations seen over the Easter and half-term holidays.
"While the Government is doing everything within its power to support the aviation industry, it is now for the sector itself to undertake the appropriate steps to make sure there’s no repeat of the chaos seen at Easter and half term."
