Holidays are looking less and less likely
British Airways and easyJet have cancelled more than 100 flights to or from UK airports as those planning to get away for Easter break are stuck at terminals.
BA are thought to have grounded 78 flights going to and from Heathrow on Wednesday, having already reduced its schedule until the end of May to boost reliability, as well as suspending multiple routes entirely for several months because of the pandemic.
easyJet is also said to have cancelled at least 30 flights scheduled to or from Gatwick Airport on Wednesday. The routes affected include: Amsterdam, Krakow, and Poland; Bologna, Italy, and Berlin.
This comes after Tuesday’s reports of long queues and the possibility of the army being called in to help manage crowds at the likes of Manchester and Birmingham airport – an issue that is thought could continue for weeks, if not longer.
@manairport you are an absolute disgrace! It was dangerous today, people will get hurt if you do not improve things @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/ZDee9KqTsP
— Jane Gilham (@GilhamJane) April 1, 2022
The two airlines had already suspended 190 flights on Monday and Tuesday combined, not to mention more than 200 over the weekend, with passengers now attempting to swap flights last minute so as to miss getting to their destination on time.
With foot traffic at unmanageable levels, many have been urged not only to arrive at airports more than three hours in advance of their flight, but the long delays and queueing have resulted in many prospective fliers being asked to wait in their car as staff try to resolve the situation.
The lasting impact covid-19 has had on the industry is now being felt in full force, with the huge demand for travel now colliding with aviation staff, who are not only flying all across the world but come into contact with hundreds of thousands of passengers per day. It is likely that the chaos at various British airports will persist for the coming weeks and months.
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