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Queues at Gatwick Airport in London PA

UK airlines under fire for jubilee and summer getaway chaos

Airlines for Europe, which represents EU airlines, predicted the problem would continue ‘for a good chunk of the summer season’.

BRITAIN’S AIRPORTS ARE coming under fire for failing to prepare for this week’s jubilee bank holiday, as well as the upcoming summer season, as passengers face long delays and cancelled flights.

Sharon Graham, head of the country’s biggest trade union Unite, said on Wednesday: “The UK’s airports are in crisis because thousands of jobs have been slashed.”

The airline industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic, with flights grounded by lockdowns and travel restrictions.

As in Ireland, many employees were laid off by carriers and airports and staff shortages have now become apparent.

But deputy prime minister Dominic Raab accused airlines of a “lack of preparation” in the run-up to the holiday surge now restrictions have been lifted.

“Throughout the pandemic, the government provided £8 billion (€9.3 billion) of support,” he told Sky News.

“I don’t think the airline operators have done the recruitment that they should have done, and taken the advice that the transport secretary gave them.”

Thursday and Friday are public holidays in Britain as part of four days of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee.

Airlines for Europe, which represents EU airlines, predicted the problem would continue “for a good chunk of the summer season”.

‘Carnage’

In response, the industry organisation representing UK-registered carriers, Airlines UK, said the sector was still emerging from “the worst crisis in the history of aviation”.

“Airlines were grounded for almost two years as a result of one of the most restrictive travel regimes in the world and with this in mind, the sector has had only a matter of weeks to recover and prepare for one of the busiest summers we’ve seen in many years.

“Despite this, and without the ability to know when restrictions would be completely removed or predict how much flying would be possible over the summer, the vast majority of the many tens of thousands of UK-departing flights a week will be operating as scheduled.”

The group called for a collaborative effort between airports, airlines and the government to ensure flights take off.

Challenging

Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said mass flight cancellations were expected to increase, further heaping pressure on airlines.

“Pent up demand is colliding with a severe labour crunch for the industry as companies struggle to recruit workers for key ground roles in particular, following mass pandemic lay-offs,” she said.

In Manchester, but also at London Heathrow and Gatwick, and elsewhere, there have been hundreds of cancellations this week, affecting companies such as tour operator Tui, British Airways and easyJet.
easter-getaway Manchester Airport PA PA
To make matters worse, low-cost airline easyJet was also hit by computer problems, which forced them to ground some 200 additional flights.

British Airways acknowledged it had been a “challenging period” but it was looking to recruit massively

Schedules have been cut “to provide certainty for our customers”, and passengers were being given “maximum flexibility” to rebook or receive a full refund, it told AFP in a statement.

Unite also warned that Ryanair flights out of London Stansted could face “serious disruption” in the coming months.

Struggling workers were calling for better pay after seeing a 10 percent cut in their wages in 2020, the union added.

© AFP 2022

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13 Comments
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    Mute Bobby
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    Jun 6th 2014, 5:31 PM

    Id say those under 60 are not much better.

    64
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Jun 6th 2014, 4:47 PM

    I must be one of the 18%,ever since i stopped smoking 7 years ago i took to cycling excersize with a vengence, clocking up anything from 150/200 km per week on mostly coastal trips,as a form of excersize to help keep the body in shape it is very hard to beat, and would have no hesitation whatever in recommending it,just remember to wear proper hi vis clothing with helmet and a good pair of extra strong sole shoes used just for cycling shoes,and of course a good hibrid bike with strong tyres are a must.

    42
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    Mute Emily Elephant
    Favourite Emily Elephant
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    Jun 6th 2014, 5:41 PM

    You do 200k on a hybrid? Is your back made of titanium?

    14
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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Jun 6th 2014, 7:11 PM

    Well Emily i never had a problem with back strenght,and even hills are not a problem to me now,but as an ex marathon runner back in the eighties i know that regular exersize builds up mental as well as body strenght and things you once thought impossible you take them in your stride, cycling is easy compared to running marathons and of course the fact you enjoy it is a big plus.

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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Jun 6th 2014, 7:52 PM

    Fair play to you. When my commute went to 11k my back said fook that, and it’s been a road bike ever since. Apparently someone did the Wicklow 200 on a DublinBike last year. Insane.

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    Mute Good News Caravan
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    Jun 6th 2014, 6:43 PM

    Old folk really are lazy. It takes an age to coax my grandma out the back garden for burpees and high intensity interval training.

    I take a carrot and stick approach whereby if she doesn’t go she gets her meals taken from her.

    Fair is fair after all

    35
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    Mute Dee4
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    Jun 6th 2014, 5:16 PM

    no reason not to be physically healthy through to your 70′s, use it lose it.

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    Mute Angelic Lestat
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    Jun 6th 2014, 4:57 PM

    I think the next generation or two will be much more physically active as they age.

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    Mute Marjorie Magee
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    Jun 6th 2014, 10:55 PM

    Some will, but many will be too fat.

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    Mute Hallie Burton
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    Jun 6th 2014, 6:46 PM

    OK then.
    No smoking in the car.
    No giant sized drinks.
    Get yer cervix checked
    Embrace a Gay lifestyle
    Don’t drink the water from a private well
    Make eyer mind up, do you want a fry or a bale of briquettes
    Be careful flying with a certain American Airline
    I think that’s it ,now off for a walk and just hope the TV is not nicked while I’m out. :-)

    15
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Jun 6th 2014, 11:42 PM

    Spot on, Hallie, my man:-)

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    Mute Marjorie Magee
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    Jun 6th 2014, 10:54 PM

    Exercise is the key to a healthy old age. I am in my sixties and do a lot more than the recommended amount. I feel the same as I did 40 years ago and have no stiffness and soreness of joints. But you have to like doing it…..

    13
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Jun 6th 2014, 11:40 PM

    I’m puzzled. In thread after thread the over sixties are vilified, or at least criticised for consuming health care, for drawing pensions (which they have worked for) and for having paid off their mortgages. Why the sudden interest in extending our lives? I had thought it could only be a couple of years before we received a cyanide pill in the post from Ms Burton and her Department of social protection (try saying that name with a straight face).

    6
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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Jun 6th 2014, 6:22 PM

    Nanny state.

    6
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    Mute Marc O'Donoghue
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    Jun 6th 2014, 10:54 PM

    Fewer than half, not less than half.

    3
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