British Airways Cancels Hundreds Of Summer Flights; Plans More

British Airways announced on Tuesday that it would be cancelling hundreds more summer flights, saying it was needed earlier plans to cut back on scheduled flights failed to ease travel disruptions.

The announcement will affect tens of thousands of travelers planning to fly from London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The airline said that in spring season it would cancel 10 percent of the flights between April and October to avoid having to call off flights on the day of departure.

The latest cancellations take the figure to around 11 percent. British Airlines said that it is offering customers refunds or rebooking on other flights.
The airlines said in a statement, “We took pre-emptive action earlier this year to reduce our summer schedule to provide customers with as much notice as possible about any changes to their travel plans.”

“As the entire aviation industry continues to face into the most challenging period in its history, regrettably, it has become necessary to make some further reductions,” it added.

Airlines and airports in Europe, the US and all over the world are suffering from staff shortages in jobs ranging from luggage handlers to security personnel. The shortages, along with increased travel following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in many places, has led to airport lines and flight delays.

The British Airways cancellations follow a vote by its workers at Heathrow Airport to stage a walkout in a dispute over pay. The workers, including check-in staff, are still deciding on the strike dates, but they are expected to take place during the peak summer vacation period.

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