Holidaymakers face huge travel disruption after flights cancelled

Holidaymakers face huge travel disruption after flights cancelled

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Thousands of British families heading away on their summer holidays were hit by yet more delays and cancellations at Gatwick and Heathrow airports on Sunday.

London's two busiest airports went into a meltdown yesterday after easyJet grounded 32 flights at Gatwick and BA axed another 32 at Heathrow, leaving passengers stranded.

The airlines blamed the cancellations on air traffic control issues and bad weather on the continent, with up to 10,000 holidaymakers now stuck in terminal limbo.

Furious travellers slammed the airlines on social media and questioned why other carriers flying the 'same route, same day' have not cancelled flights.

One person said on X: '@easyJet Why is the @TUIUK flight, same route, same day, not cancelled then? Baffling how easyJet alone suffers so many of these 'beyond control' cancellations? Could it in fact be pilot/ crew shortage per chance??'

However, easyJet told the traveller that 'many factors come together that can lead to our flights being disrupted it's never just one thing. If it is due to something that is outside our control or pilot/crew shortage we need to state it as such.'

Both easyJet and BA have been contacted for comment.

Others revealed how their flights were cancelled as they waited at the gate to board the plane.

Another said: '@easyJet absolutely terrible. Flight from Gatwick to Munich Friday 5th July cancelled after we were all at the gate. After only 1 hour delay told the crew were out of hours, really! We were left stranded. Thanks @premierinn for finding us a room. #easyJet #airline fail'.

A third person, who this time directed their anger at BA, said: '@British_Airways you cancelled my flight with a few hours noticed causing me to miss a job interview and more importantly my brothers birthday. You offered me a 10h Stopover flight the next day instead of my original 2hr30 flight to Heathrow. Please respond to my ticket!'

A fourth said: 'To make us sit on a plane for 3 hours to then cancel the flight and give us zero alternatives is an absolute disgrace! Family holiday cancelled, now no doubt I will have to fight tooth and nail for my money back and compensation!'

While low-budget carrier Ryanair has made no cancellations although it did apologise to customers for some delays due to 'repeated air-traffic control staff shortages'.

It reads: 'Ryanair, Europe's No.1 airline, on Mon 8 Jul apologised to its passengers for the excessive flight delays caused by European ATC staff shortages today Mon 8 Jul which are affecting all European airlines.

'ATC services, which have had the benefit of no French ATC strike disruption this summer, continue to underperform (despite flight volumes being five per cent behind 2019 levels) with repeated 'staff shortages'.

'On Mon 8 Jul, 21 per cent of Ryanair's first wave departures (134 of 579 aircraft) were delayed due to ATC 'staff shortages'. These repeated flight delays due to ATC mismanagement are unacceptable.

'We apologise to our passengers for these repeated ATC flight delays which are deeply regrettable but beyond Ryanair's control.'

Easyjet said in a statement to the Standard: 'EasyJet operated around 1800 flights yesterday however some flights across Europe were unfortunately disrupted due to the impact of adverse weather and air traffic control delays.

London Heathrow and Gatwick airports have been contacted for comment.