Heathrow Airport has apologised to passengers caught up in recent travel chaos but warned that more flights and many airport transfer could be cancelled. The UK’s largest airport asked airlines to remove 61 flights from Monday’s schedules, as it seeks to cope with soaring demand and staff shortages. Heathrow’s boss John Holland-Kaye said the airport would request “further action if necessary”. Tens of thousands of UK airport transfer passengers have been affected by travel disruption.
Covid lockdowns as holiday demand
Airports and airlines have struggled to recruit staff after shedding jobs during Covid lockdowns as holiday demand has returned. The UK is about to enter the key summer holiday season as schools begin to break up. The government and the aviation regulator wrote to carriers last month telling them to ensure their summer timetables were “deliverable”.
Last week, British Airways airport transfer said it was cutting 10,300 more short-haul flights between August and the end of October. The announcement, affecting Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports. means nearly 30,000 flights will have been removed from BA’s schedule between April and October this year.
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Heathrow apologized to passengers affected by “long queue times. delays for passengers with reduced mobility, bags not traveling with passengers or arriving late”, at times in recent weeks. But it insisted most passengers had a good level of service. despite resourcing challenges at the airport. airlines, ground handlers, and government agencies.
demand exceeds the capacity of the airport
Mr. Holland-Kaye said: for any airport transfer “I am very proud of how our team is rising to the challenge of growth. and giving excellent service to the vast majority of passengers. “However, we have already seen times recently when demand exceeds the capacity of the airport, airlines, and ground handlers. “We will review the schedule changes that airlines have submitted in response. to the government’s requirement to minimize disruption for passengers this summer and will ask them to take further action if necessary.”
Heathrow said: it had asked airlines to remove 61 flights from Monday’s schedules. because more passengers are expected airport transfer in Terminals 3. and 5 than the airport can currently serve. Previous “schedule interventions” happened following a baggage system problem. because more passengers were expected than security staffing could cope with. Heathrow said nearly six million passengers used the airport in June.
