The summer has barely begun, but vacationers have already endured months of flight cancellations, delays, and lost luggage.
As airlines scramble to rework their flight schedules, there will be an increase in flight cancellations in the coming weeks, resulting in increased traveler frustration.
The upheaval is a result of the announcement last month that an amnesty will permit airlines to cancel flights next year while retaining take-off and landing slots.
Airlines purchase slots to operate their schedules but can lose them to competitors if they fail to honor their commitments to the airport and passengers by not flying.
It is hoped that airlines will be able to operate only the flights they can fully staff, putting an end to reports of passengers arriving at the airport only to have their flights canceled at the last minute.
A report indicates that British Airways flights departing from Heathrow are likely to experience the highest number of cancellations.
In July alone, the airline planned to transport 1.8 million passengers on more than 9,000 flights from Heathrow, according to the Daily Telegraph.
A British Airways representative told the PA news agency that the slot amnesty and resulting cancellations will “help us to provide the certainty our customers deserve by making it easier to consolidate some of our quieter daily flights to multi-frequency destinations well in advance.”
They stated that the airline “welcomes these new measures” and that “slot alleviation permits airlines to temporarily reduce their schedules while retaining their slots for the following year to maintain networks and provide consumers with consistency and certainty.”
“Assigning slots by the (World Airport Slots Guide system) enables airlines to provide the consistent services and efficient connections that consumers seek while protecting jobs and fostering economic growth in the United Kingdom.”
Staff shortages in ground handling, airports, and flight crew have presented significant obstacles as the aviation industry struggles to enter the peak season two years after the coronavirus pandemic.
In recent weeks, thousands of flights have been canceled by a variety of airlines due to insufficient capacity, a problem that is also prevalent in Europe.
