Flights cancelled LIVE: BA cancels MORE trips leaving Brits’ summer plans in RUINS; plus easyJet, TUI & Ryanair latest
TENS of thousands of passengers are anticipating turmoil this summer as airlines prepare to announce a new wave of cancellations.
On Friday, it was reported that EasyJet is already cancelling thousands of flights this summer due to staff shortages.
The airline has said: “The vast majority of customers’ flights will not be impacted and of those that are, the majority of customers will be re-booked within 24 hours.
“We will be notifying affected customers directly in the coming days with information on their alternative flight or the option to rebook or receive a refund.”
British Airways has also cancelled several flights, sparked by an amnesty on take-off and landing slots.
It previously intended to carry 1.8 million passengers across more than 9,000 flights from Heathrow during July alone.
Read our live flight delays blog below for the latest information...
How to SAVE money on your holiday (1/2)
Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community and dad, has revealed how he saves hundreds of pounds on holidays every year.
He revealed how, without using price comparison sites, he is able to track down the most affordable flights.
He said: "I wanted to go on a summer holiday abroad with my partner and son but we’re on a budget. At first glance, everything was so expensive.
"I found flight price comparison sites aren’t very good at the moment. Lots of the prices they show are old or don’t include things so it’s always more expensive.
"Google Flights, which is free, has some nifty tools most people don’t know about to help you find bargains.
"You can set your budget and search for open dates to either specific or open destinations.
"Then, what I do is create free email alerts. These email alerts tell you whether the flights are below-average price, average, or a high price.
"I’ve been a bit obsessed over the past year and have set up thousands of these alerts. You can then filter them so you only see the best deals. It’s like having your personal travel agent.
"The good news is that flight deals are out there, and I’ve found some great offers which result in savings of £80 on average."
Airports relax vetting of staff in order to ease travel chaos
This summer has seen a deluge of delays and cancellation hit airports across the country.
But now, airports are set to relax checks on workers in order to raise staff numbers.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps praised the move, claiming it is evidence of the Government “doing its bit to help deliver for passengers”.
1,500 bags lost in French airport
A technical fault saw at least 1,500 lost at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport this weekend.
Similar scenes occurred at Heathrow as flights were delayed by hours at a time.
This disruptions are likely to continue throughout the summer.
Brits fear return of Easter delays
Passengers using Heathrow in recent weeks have experienced long queues, and many have been separated from their luggage for several days.
There are fears that the severe disruption seen at UK airports in the run-up to Easter and the Jubilee bank holiday will return during the peak summer holiday period.
This month alone, several airline unions will go on strike, leading to more delays.
In pictures: Discarded luggage fills Heathrow Airport
Traveling this weekend was disastrous for many, but non more so than those who had their bags thrown to the wayside at Heathrow airport.
This occurred due to understaffing and a technical fault with the airport's fuelling system, leading to massive delays.
Adam Kent, who arrived at Heathrow from Florida, described the scenes as "chaos."
He said: (There was) lost luggage everywhere, stacked between baggage belts everyone stepping over it and no one doing anything about it.
"Being brutally honest, it looks like a serious health and safety issue.
"No one visible on the ground to explain the carnage or sort out the mess, it seems like lots of luggage has not arrived with passengers and just been dumped."
Adam Kent/PA Wire Airlines set announce 'new wave' of cancellations this week
Airlines have one week to tell officials which flights they are planning to cancel, Sky News reports.
This comes amid massive travel disruptions across Britain, Europe and even the United States.
This month, Ryanair workers based in Spain will strike for at least 12 days as they seek better pay and working conditions.
New plan put in place to ease travel chaos
An “amnesty” is set to be put in place, allowing airlines to change and cancel travel plans in advance without facing penalties.
This is designed to minimise over booking during the summer months.
Heathrow said the slot amnesty would “enable airlines to make early choices to consolidate their schedules, boosting the resilience of summer operations and giving passengers the confidence they deserve ahead of their journeys”.
It added: “We encourage airlines to take this opportunity to reconsider their summer schedules without penalty and inform passengers as early as possible of any changes.”
How do you cancel an easyJet flight?
To cancel an easyJet flight, you need to go to the easyJet website.
Go to the Manage Bookings section and use your surname and booking reference to log in, and then choose the flight reservation you wish to cancel and click “Cancel”.
If you are asked to pay a cancellation fee, you can do so by entering your card payment details – and your flight should now be cancelled.
Alternatively, customers can call the easyJet customer service team on 0330 365 5000.
You can also cancel flights at an easyJet Help Desk at most airports – but this must be under two hours before take-off.
If your flight is cancelled due to a coronavirus travel ban or the Foreign Office advises against travel to your destination, you will be fully refunded.
But if you choose not to fly due to personal safety concerns and the flight does go ahead, you are not entitled to your money back.
Luggage issues at Heathrow
Inbound flights were unaffected by travel disruption at Heathrow, but passengers arriving in London faced their own disorder.
Scores of people claim they have been left waiting for hours to collect their suitcases with “no staff in sight”.
Gino Ginelli, who landed just after midday, tweeted: “Nearly two hours after landing six hours late, there is still no baggage in Terminal 3.
“Heathrow, like the rest of the UK, is broken and the very worst welcome.”
Another traveller added: “QF001 landed in London two hours ago and still no one has luggage.
“Where is it and where are your staff to help? Heathrow says it is your issue Qantas.
“Shall we bill our parking ticket to Qantas or Heathrow?”
Covid to blame for flights chaos, claims Simon Calder
Travel expert Simon Calder weighed on the chaos affecting Britain’s airports.
Express.co.uk reports that he said during an interview with BBC Breakfast: “Really interesting. Speaking to BBC North West Tonight Chris Woodroofe said that effectively, ‘you are not going to have as good an experience this summer as you did in 2019 before the pandemic’.”
Simon added: “Simply, the airport is overstretched.”
He later said: “Covid has come back to haunt us as the BBC has reported, lots more cases of Covid and that is now hitting staff numbers not just in the UK but Lufthansa making loads of cancellations in Germany and to and from the UK because so many of their staff are calling in sick.”
He also spoke about some issues in Holland, referencing his daughter whose inbound flight was cancelled leaving her in Amsterdam for an extra two days.
Ryanair boss says plane tickets are too CHEAP and warns of price hikes
PLANE tickets are too cheap and will rise over the next five years, Ryanair’s boss said.
Costs will keep going up to match soaring fuel prices and environment charges, Michael O’Leary added.
Mr O’Leary, who took credit for low-cost flying with Ryanair, told the : “It’s too cheap for what it is.
"I find it absurd every time that I fly to Stansted, the train journey into central London is more expensive than the air fare.
“It has been my doing [taking prices so low]. I made a lot of money doing it.
"But ultimately, I don’t believe air travel is sustainable over the medium term at an average fare of €40 (£34).
“It’s too cheap at that. But I think, you know, it will still be very cheap and affordable at €50 and €60.”
Airports relax vetting of staff in order to ease travel chaos
This summer has seen a deluge of delays and cancellation hit airports across the country.
But now, airports are set to relax checks on workers in order to raise staff numbers.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps praised the move, claiming it is evidence of the Government "doing its bit to help deliver for passengers".
How do you cancel an easyJet flight?
To cancel an easyJet flight, you need to go to the easyJet website.
Go to the Manage Bookings section and use your surname and booking reference to log in, and then choose the flight reservation you wish to cancel and click “Cancel”.
If you are asked to pay a cancellation fee, you can do so by entering your card payment details – and your flight should now be cancelled.
Alternatively, customers can call the easyJet customer service team on 0330 365 5000.
You can also cancel flights at an easyJet Help Desk at most airports – but this must be under two hours before take-off.
If your flight is cancelled due to a coronavirus travel ban or the Foreign Office advises against travel to your destination, you will be fully refunded.
But if you choose not to fly due to personal safety concerns and the flight does go ahead, you are not entitled to your money back.
Will I get my money back if I cancel my flight?
If a refund is due, the company says it will refund the card the booking was made under.
This should arrive in three to four days, but can take 28 days. You are advised to contact easyJet if it takes longer and you have 12 months to request a refund.
If you do not fly for any reason, you are entitled to money back from government flight taxes.
From the UK, these are £13 per flight for over-16s on all routes – except for Egypt, Jordan and Israel which is £80.
New plan put in place to ease travel chaos
An "amnesty" is set to be put in place, allowing airlines to change and cancel travel plans in advance without facing penalties.
This is designed to minimise over booking during the summer months.
Heathrow said the slot amnesty would "enable airlines to make early choices to consolidate their schedules, boosting the resilience of summer operations and giving passengers the confidence they deserve ahead of their journeys".
It added: "We encourage airlines to take this opportunity to reconsider their summer schedules without penalty and inform passengers as early as possible of any changes."
Fire and rehire to blame for travel CHAOS, claims expert
An expert has noted that Covid, and the policies adopted by airlines during the pandemic, are to blame for the current situation.
During 2020, many airlines sacked their workers, before trying to rehire them at lower wages, this as caused many airports to be short staffed.
Express.co.uk reports that he said during an interview with BBC Breakfast: “Really interesting. Speaking to BBC North West Tonight Chris Woodroofe said that effectively, ‘you are not going to have as good an experience this summer as you did in 2019 before the pandemic’.”
Simon added: “Simply, the airport is overstretched.”
He later said: “Covid has come back to haunt us as the BBC has reported, lots more cases of Covid and that is now hitting staff numbers not just in the UK but Lufthansa making loads of cancellations in Germany and to and from the UK because so many of their staff are calling in sick.”
Not just Ryanair facing disruption this summer
It would seem Ryanair is not the only airline facing disruption as we approach the summer.
It was recently announced that around 700 check-in and ground staff for British Airways will walk out.
The workers, all of whom are based at Heathrow and are members of the GMB and Unite unions, could down tools as early as July 8.
Heathrow passengers are among those to face particular misery so far this summer after the hub cancelled ten per cent of its plane journeys earlier this week.
Covid to blame for flights chaos, claims Simon Calder
Travel expert Simon Calder weighed on the chaos affecting Britain’s airports.
Express.co.uk reports that he said during an interview with BBC Breakfast: “Really interesting. Speaking to BBC North West Tonight Chris Woodroofe said that effectively, ‘you are not going to have as good an experience this summer as you did in 2019 before the pandemic’.”
Simon added: “Simply, the airport is overstretched.”
He later said: “Covid has come back to haunt us as the BBC has reported, lots more cases of Covid and that is now hitting staff numbers not just in the UK but Lufthansa making loads of cancellations in Germany and to and from the UK because so many of their staff are calling in sick.”
He also spoke about some issues in Holland, referencing his daughter whose inbound flight was cancelled leaving her in Amsterdam for an extra two days.
Ryanair spokesperson say strike action ‘poorly supported’
A spokesperson from airline Ryanair told the Sun Online that they still expect to operate a full schedule this weekend and that the strikes were “poorly supported”.
They said: “Ryanair expects to operate a full schedule to/from Spain this weekend (30thJune, 1st July & 2nd July) despite minor and poorly supported labour strikes in Spain.”
Ryanair are not the only airline to be facing walkouts this weekend, with easyJet on-board crew in Spain set for nine days of action in July, starting from this week between July 1 and 3.
The strikes will see three 72-hour stoppages at fortnightly intervals, with hundreds of crew stopping work at easyJet’s bases in Barcelona, Málaga and Palma.
Covid to blame for flights chaos, claims Simon Calder
Travel expert Simon Calder weighed on the chaos affecting Britain’s airports.
Express.co.uk reports that he said during an interview with BBC Breakfast: “Really interesting. Speaking to BBC North West Tonight Chris Woodroofe said that effectively, ‘you are not going to have as good an experience this summer as you did in 2019 before the pandemic’.”
Simon added: “Simply, the airport is overstretched.”
He later said: “Covid has come back to haunt us as the BBC has reported, lots more cases of Covid and that is now hitting staff numbers not just in the UK but Lufthansa making loads of cancellations in Germany and to and from the UK because so many of their staff are calling in sick.”
He also spoke about some issues in Holland, referencing his daughter whose inbound flight was cancelled leaving her in Amsterdam for an extra two days.
Not just Ryanair facing disruption this summer
It would seem Ryanair is not the only airline facing disruption as we approach the summer.
It was recently announced that around 700 check-in and ground staff for British Airways will walk out.
The workers, all of whom are based at Heathrow and are members of the GMB and Unite unions, could down tools as early as July 8.
Heathrow passengers are among those to face particular misery so far this summer after the hub cancelled ten per cent of its plane journeys earlier this week.
How do you cancel an easyJet flight?
To cancel an easyJet flight, you need to go to the easyJet website.
Go to the Manage Bookings section and use your surname and booking reference to log in, and then choose the flight reservation you wish to cancel and click “Cancel”.
If you are asked to pay a cancellation fee, you can do so by entering your card payment details – and your flight should now be cancelled.
Alternatively, customers can call the easyJet customer service team on 0330 365 5000.
You can also cancel flights at an easyJet Help Desk at most airports – but this must be under two hours before take-off.
If your flight is cancelled due to a coronavirus travel ban or the Foreign Office advises against travel to your destination, you will be fully refunded.
But if you choose not to fly due to personal safety concerns and the flight does go ahead, you are not entitled to your money back.
Will I get my money back if I cancel my flight?
If a refund is due, the company says it will refund the card the booking was made under.
This should arrive in three to four days, but can take 28 days. You are advised to contact easyJet if it takes longer and you have 12 months to request a refund.
If you do not fly for any reason, you are entitled to money back from government flight taxes.
From the UK, these are £13 per flight for over-16s on all routes – except for Egypt, Jordan and Israel which is £80.
Fears for summer
Passengers using Heathrow in recent weeks have experienced long queues, and many have been separated from their luggage for several days.
There are fears that the severe disruption seen at UK airports in the run-up to Easter and the Jubilee bank holiday will return during the peak summer holiday period.
Horrified passengers on Emirates flight hear ‘loud bang’ as loose bolt rips massive HOLE in side of Airbus
Horrified passengers on an Emirates flight heard a "loud bang" as a loose bolt ripped a massive HOLE in the the side of the Airbus A380 plane.
The ear-splitting noise shook holidaymakers travelling from Dubai to Brisbane on Saturday, just 45 minutes after take-off.
The sudden sound could allegedly be felt through the floor, but terrified passengers had no idea what had caused it.
Luckily, the 14-hour trip passed without any further problems and cabin crew remained calm.
But after landing at Brisbane Internation Airport at nearly 11pm, the travellers were gobsmacked to discover a gaping hole in the side of the plane.
Photos show where the left fuselage of the aircraft had been ripped open, understood to have been caused by a bolt detached in the nose gear.
Passengers were shocked they had managed to travel more than 7,000 miles in a damaged plane.
Especially as the airline crew had kept so relaxed after the deafening bang.
One passenger on board the plane told the : "There was a loud bang and I felt it through the floor as well.
"The cabin crew remained calm, stopped the food service and got on the phone and checked the wings, engines."
