Firstpost - All Rights Reserved. Many other airlines and airports have been hit by strikes from staff demanding higher wages to help them deal with the cost of living, compounding the misery . For example, CNN reports that pilots are facing unprecedented levels of fatigue, while USA Today says that airlines have not been quick enough to replace pilots who have retired or taken a leave of absence. Even with airfare hikes and more cancellations and delays, most statistics indicate that consumers are still eager to fly. According to Lufthansa, the war is leading to massive bottlenecks in the skies and thus to further flight delays. Photo by Ying Tang, Travelers waiting outside Schiphol airport in the. Passengers may be able to receive up to 600 euros when flights are cancelled or delayed according to AirHelp, an air passenger rights advocacy organization. Sign up for a weekly curated briefing of the most important strategic affairs stories from across the world. Vlitas emphasizes the importance of being informed in order to be better prepared for any problems that may arise. About a million existing bookings on domestic and European routes from. In the United States, more than 1,200 flights were canceled and more than 5,000 were delayed on Sunday alone as staff and crew call out sick. There is a current shortage of some 7,200 skilled workers in the industry. ", Updated Date: The agency published its revised short-term forecast for 2022-2024 on June 3 as flight delays and cancellations continue escalating at several major European airports caused by staff shortages. Heathrow isnt the only popular European airport that has been forced to implement a limit on the amount of passengers flying in and out. Airlines are still working to rehire pilots, flight attendants and other employees after the pandemic and the FAA is also in the process of rehiring employees. Weather is perhaps the most obvious reason a flight will be cancelled, after-all, who wants to be flying through a major thunderstorm. Photo by Carl Court, Spain Opens To Non-Vaccinated Travelers: These European Countries Are Covid Restrictions-Free Now, A flight information board shows cancelled flights. April 5, 2022 1:30 PM EDT. Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst, told CBS News the air travel troubles are caused by multiple factors. Continuing airport chaos is still affecting thousands of British travellers with more widespread flight cancellations. Unavailable. With summer travel demands causing flight cancellations and delays worldwide, Londons Heathrow Airport has capped the amount of daily passengers to 100,000 and has instructed airlines to stop selling tickets for the summer. (Reuters) Severe manpower shortage at European airports, coupled with a post-pandemic vacation boom, has disrupted travel leading to flights being cancelled, long queues causing passengers. Its unlikely that, irrespective of impediment whether it be price, whether it be airport facilities that demand is going to dissipate in the short-term, Clark told CNBCs Dan Murphy at the International Air Transport Associations 78th Annual General Meeting in Doha, Qatar. I then need to call or email my supplier and ask for new flights. Meanwhile, companies that had fired baggage handlers, ticket sellers and airplane cabin crew are unable to keep up with the sheer numbers nor can they hire quickly enough. A severe manpower shortage coupled with a post-pandemic vacation boom has led to cancelled flights, delayed baggage and passengers facing interminable queues. The lifting of coronavirus testing requirements by the United States and other countries has also contributed to a surge in air travel demand since May, just as the summer vacation season was about to begin. That followed on the heels of a massive disruption at Southwest earlier in the month, which saw 2,000 flights canceled due to another string of setbacks including air traffic control outages. "Whilst Brexit will be contributing to the issue, we are seeing these sorts of staffing issues globally in the aviation industry so it's not solely a Brexit-related issue" When will flights return to 'normal'? June 22, 2022 21:20:15 IST, While plenty of billionaire executives like to tweet their two cents on world affairs, none can come close to Elon Musks influence and ability to cause trouble. There are many reasons that flights are being canceled and delayed at unprecedented rates, ranging from the usual reasons (bad weather) to those of the pandemic era such as rising fuel prices, COVID-19 case rates, air traffic control issues and staffing shortages. Internova Travel Group has built support teams to assist our customers, he said. Departing flights at the Salt Lake City International Airport are listed on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. As such, this is one of the main reasons for flight delays as well. A plane being grounded because of weather is done so for reasons of safety, and uncooperative weather can range from snow storms and hurricanes, to fog . As per Financial Express, top European hubs Heathrow, Schiphol in Amsterdam, and airports in Brussels, Frankfurt, and several others are grappling with delayed baggage. Travel professionals, meanwhile, must now help clients deal with a range of increasingly common hassles. But are they being cancelled due to lack of demand or is it simply a reaction to the UK government's traffic light system and which countries make the green list? There are many reasons that flights are being canceled and delayed at unprecedented rates, ranging from the usual reasons (bad weather) to those of the pandemic era such as rising fuel prices, COVID-19 case rates, air traffic control issues and staffing shortages. There are heavy restrictions on foreign nationals entering and transiting through China, so its best check with Xiamen for information regarding cancellations and reduced schedules. Flight volume hasnt quite reached pre-pandemic levels, but its getting there. Long delays and travel disruption have hit many aiports over the recent days, with airlines axing hundreds of flights . Sometimes an airline will offer you points or miles as compensation, but you are entitled to a cash refund when your flight is canceled. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has taken notice of the cancellation of flights by foreign airlines and has given a deadline to the airlines till July 8, 2021 to resolve the passenger issues. Global travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels as the world learns to live with COVID, but travelers looking for a summer escape are facing long check-in lines, lost luggage, and cancelled flights. Aer Lingus was forced to cancel 13. The British government said that it is helping get new employees into the aviation industry quickly and without compromising security by accelerating the national security vetting checks for new aviation recruits and helping the industry to get new employees, such as x-ray screeners.. Photo by Franois Walschaerts. Travelers wait in a long queue to pass through the, security check at London's Heathrow airport. Experts anticipate the situation to worsen in the coming days. The Dubai-based Emirates airline lashed out against Heathrow, calling its plans nothing short of airmageddon. Delta was forced in July to fly a plane from Heathrow to Detroit with a thousand pieces of backlogged luggage and no passengers. With summer travel demands causing flight cancellations and delays worldwide, Londons Heathrow Airport has capped the amount of daily passengers to 100,000 and has instructed airlines to stop selling tickets for the summer. Straits Times quoted Iata's regional vice-president for Asia-Pacific Philip Goh telling reporters on Monday: "Asia is not seeing much of airport congestion yet. Moreover, the wages are no longer high enough because working conditions are what they are, people have to work in shifts and on weekends.. If there is a storm or high winds in Amsterdam, the airport may have to close. A number of reasons have been offered for the number of flight cancellations. The trouble extends beyond Heathrow. Where to Eat, Where to Stay and What to Do, Disney Cruise Line Has Revealed Information About Its New Ship, Disney Treasure. Heathrow has asked several airlines to cancel some flights to reduce load. Lufthansa says it does not anticipate a return to normal flight operations until 2023. Many agents I know refuse to book air for their clients, as the clients truly have the most flexibility if they book it themselves. A technical malfunction of the baggage sorting system last week, at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport caused many flights to depart without luggage, leaving over 1,500 bags on the ground and affecting other flights even after the problem had been corrected. Jacob Cammack, right, of Draper, greets his father at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Wednesday, July 13, 2022. The chaos at international terminals has been so bad that Londons Heathrow Airport announced last month a limit of 100,000 departing passengers until September 11. "If airports and airlines are smart enough to look at the issues Europe is facing, they must be able to plan ahead of the demand curve. Long queues are a common sight at airports throughout Europe and unpleasant stories are legion - last-minute cancellations even after aspiring-passengers had already passed through security, lost luggage, delays for five, six and even seven hours, hours-long queues at security and customs checkpoints and nobody to turn for help at airlines counters. Sometimes the category of flights we booked arent available, so there arent any options., My clients have become extremely frustrated as they usually end up with worse options than they chose, Roed added. And there is the possibility of having to overnight or delay your flight by a day or two. The daily passenger cap will be in effect until Sept. 11. "A variety of factors continue. A seemingly endless check-in line last week at the Eindhoven airport in the Netherlands, spilled outside the airport, through the vast esplanade at the terminals entry, past the parking lots, winding down surrounding streets. Because tourism has rebounded after a dip in travel during the pandemic. Peter Vlitas, executive vice president of partner relations at Internova Travel Group, says its a problem of supply and demand. I havent been comfortable doing this yet; I feel like its not a complete package without the air, and my clients are coming to me for assistance. Some American travelers whove departed from Pariss de Gaulle Airport waited over two weeks to get their luggage. All Rights Reserved, Air travel chaos causes London Heathrow airport to cap number of passengers, causing flight cancellations and delays worldwide. (The next day, Buttigieg's flight was canceled.). Excessive. But a technical glitch at the de Gaulle airport amid the labor shortage caused baggage delays. (Image Credit: Mark Hodson/www.101holidays.co.uk). Airlines across Europe have been struggling with staff shortages, with passengers reporting chaotic scenes and long queues at airports. Staff shortages. Delta said it cancelled about 90 flights on Friday because of the possibility of bad weather and the impact the Omicron after it had "exhausted all options and resources including rerouting . It also suffered chaos on March 30 as . Lufthansa has said that it will cancel around 1,000 flights in July due to staff shortages. due to a strike of security guards in June at Brussels's International Airport. On Saturday, 5% of the flights there were cancelled, while 11% were delayed. One reason could be bad weather conditions. More than 5,000 flights in were cancelled over the holiday weekend, joined by more than 27,000 delays. In fact, airport and airline employee strikes is one of the top reasons why flights get delayed and cancelled in Europe. They're hoping to reverse not just pandemic-induced wage cuts, but decades of attrition from cost-cutting airlines that even saw cabin crew at some airlines forced to pay for bottles of water., A Bloomberg analysis says that the debt of companies ranging from EasyJet to Lufthansa is trading just above levels considered distressed., Companies have complained that they were unable to properly prepare for the travel rebound because of a confusing policy on Covid curbs, the lengthy background checks on recruits and the limited aid available to them at the height of the pandemic. Is there something iv'e missed Additionally, airports are witnessing long queues, causing passengers to miss flights. "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," a spokesperson for British Airways told BB, as the airline prepares to announce further cancellations over the summer. Staff shortages. In a recent open letter to its customers, the Lufthansa Group apologizes for the large number of flight cancellations and notes that the situation is unlikely to improve in the short term. Passengers should also receive refunds for baggage fees and any extras that were purchased. As for price increases, advisors must look at connections versus nonstops that are less expensive, combined with private air programs.. A major reason for flight cancellations, air traffic restrictions have increased at an accelerated pace over recent years. Thursday June 16 2022, 11:30am. But governments are having none of it, saying its ultimately up to the industry to put their operations in order after receiving huge subsidies to make it through the pandemic.. Travelers are only allowed into the departure halls if their flight departs within four hours. Laura Seitz, Deseret News. Want to possibly cancel or change flight but am a bit wary. Photo by Geoffroy Van der Hasselt, Passengers waiting at check in counters at, Duesseldorf airport in Germany on June 30. During the campaign, she vowed to build new infrastructure, reduce crime, and improve road safety. Inflation, too, is indirectly impacting the aviation industry. EasyJet has been cancelling around . Simply put, demand for air travel is exceeding the capacity of airlines and airports to handle passengers, luggage, and flights. If . 5 Ideal Destinations for Senior Travelers in Mexico, A Review of The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapaluas $100 Million Renovation, An Insider's Travel Guide to Bratislava, Slovakia, The Family Travel Association Announces Partnership With Signature Travel Network, New Tours and Attractions at Pearl Harbor, Visiting Panama City? The situation at U.K. airports has been described in the British media as utter chaos and a 'total mess' with officials and passengers urging holidaymakers to avoid flying. Many flights were cancelled due to the variant of the virus when staff members called in sick or refused to work overtime as they feared catching the virus from other passengers. "Ultimately," Hoffmann said, "It will depend on the individual traveler and their personal circumstances., Copyright 2022 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. These are the major international airports with the worst on-time records in July 2022, according to OAG: 2022 Globely News. Passengers face delays and last-minute flight cancellations. Current statistics paint a decidedly unpleasant picture of air travel today. - Advertisement - Such a decision by UK authorities has caused uncertainty for travellers who plan to travel abroad, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. Its the season of Airmageddon the name given to the chaotic reality of summer travel, with airlines and airports bracing for potential meltdown and travelers suffering stressful experiences. Although Italy is not listed among those suffering the more serious disruptions. About a million existing bookings on domestic and European routes from London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports have been cancelled. A few years ago Ryanair experienced its biggest employee strike to the day, tens of flights were cancelled affecting tens of thousands of passengers. According to a press release, Heathrow has experienced 40 years of passenger growth in just four months. Scandinavian Airlines could also see 1,000 pilots based in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden go on strike over wages and cost-cutting measures. Former Pakistan P.M. Imran Khan shot at rally, Utah housing prices down from spring peak but theyre still higher than last year. The award for the worlds best cheese goes to Arizona governorship race: Should Katie Hobbs recuse herself as elections chief? Many airlines are cutting their schedules daily as we move into the summer of 2022 - some have ended dozens of departure weeks in advance, others them hours before or even after passengers have boarded. 10 March 2020 Reuters Thousands of flights have been cancelled worldwide as airlines struggle to cope with a slump in demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Nevertheless, some governments have been announcing special measures to help with the disruptions. Heathrow Airport has introduced a cap on passenger numbers this summer as the aviation sector struggles to cope with demand for travel. There is no one answer to this question, said Fred Hoffmann, editor of The True Wilderness, a nature travel website. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Flight cancellations are rising due to a host of causes, including staffing shortages. The consumer [must also] decide within a shorter window due to high demand.. Travelers looking for a summer escape are facing long check-in lines, lost luggage, and cancelled flights. Admitting that too many employees, as well as resources, are currently unavailable, not only in Lufthansa, the airline predicts a dire future that probably wont get better before winter comes. Additionally, the Netherlandsgovernment ordered airlines to stop selling tickets through July 31 and will only fly passengers during those days who bought tickets prior to the announcement. As per Politico, Brussels Airport was forced to cancel all 232 departing scheduled flights because of a strike by screening staff. The resulting delays and rescheduled flights are causing a further rise in the costs for airlines. Significant. To aggravate the situation, aviation authorities canceled 17% of flights out of the Paris airports last Friday and another 14% on Saturday due to airport workers' strikes that will be repeated. Heathrow Airport, among others, has told airlines to stop selling summer tickets, the BBC reports, as the UK's biggest airport struggles to cope with the rebound in air travel. The cap on passenger numbers will be in place from now until 11 September. It also means that if two . The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects total passenger numbers in Europe to reach 86 per cent of 2019 figures in 2022. Currently, there are no federal laws requiring compensation for delayed flights. Travellers at Heathrow airport, in London, Wednesday, July 13, 2022. Announced strike a strike that was planned a few weeks or even months in advance. (IST) Istanbul Airport . Even casual travelers can see that that 2022 is far from the airline industrys shining hour. Airport disruptions arent going away any time soon. Passengers queue for hours at the check-in counter, at Duesseldorf International Airport in western Germany on July 1. When COVID shut down international travel, airlines, airports, and contractors cut staff. The German airline had tried to block the strike by taking its employee union to court, but on Wednesday, a Frankfurt labour court held the strike was legal. By Isabella Boneham. This rule applies to flights departing from an EU airport or flights landing in the EU on a European airline. Passenger luggage is not being loaded onto aircraft on time and several flights are departing without carrying the baggage due to a labour shortage. According to the United States Department of Transportation, more than 63,000 flights were cancelled so far this year, compared to just over 44,000 in 2019, before the pandemic. In the Netherlands, another kind of strike could also affect flights as farmers protesting for days against forced farm closures and government plans to cut nitrogen emissions have been blocking highways, including roads to airports, with their tractors and threatened to bring the entire country to a standstill, according to Dutch News. Moderate. The new restriction will likely cause cancellations with airlines expected to operate summer flights through the British airport at a daily capacity of 104,000 passengers, 4,000 more than the airport will allow. AP. Why are so many flights being Cancelled in Europe? Employees of Pariss Charles de Gaulle airport operator went on strike in June, demanding pay raises commensurate with the rise in inflation. Meanwhile in Italy, a similar situation occurred at several airports last week after air traffic controllers and cabin-crew went on a 24-hour strike. We use a combination of senior support specialists plus an airline support desk, specifically available by IATA numbers. As per Bloomberg, Londons Heathrow, one of the worst-hit airports, asked airlines operating at two of its terminals to cancel 10per cent of their flights. They're mainly the result of the exponential growth of air traffic, which skyrocketted from half a billion in the 1980s to over 3 billion passengers . Nearly half of Americans intend to travel this summer, according to a survey conducted in May by consulting firm Deloitte. It also demanded that airline carriers cease selling additional tickets this summer. No flights departed from Brussels on Monday due to industrial action and the lack of security agents. The force majeure made it impossible for the airport to guarantee passengers and staff safety, as per the report. Long-haul flights are unaffected. The strike has not affected Lufthansa's other airlines, such as Eurowings, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines. In response, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with airline chief executives to. Istanbul, TR Yesterday, EasyJet confirmed it had cancelled all flights from the UK to. Before Independence Day weekend, Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, tweeted a reminder to U.S. passengers on receiving compensation for a flight cancellation. Which Cruise Lines Require COVID-19 Vaccinations? No more than 100,000 daily passengers will be able to depart from July 12 until Sept. 11, the west London airport announced. An EasyJet spokesperson announced, "As a result of the current high rates. Photo by INA FASSBENDER, Paris Charles de Gaulle airport employees, congregate outside a terminal as they stage a strike to demand higher wages. Airlines and airports laid off thousands of employees when travel restrictions. In Ireland, more than 1,000 people missed their flights on a single day in May at the countrys main airport due to long queues. Across Europe and the U.S., the joyful return of summer travel has turned into a season of chaos, the New York Times reports in an article entitled Why Air Travel Is Hell This Summer, adding that it wont be fixed anytime soon.. Added to that is the uncertainty over how many pilots and flight attendants are ready to work again. Recruiting and training new staff, particularly pilots and airport security staff, can take time and many positions are unlikely to be filled in time for peak summer travel, the New York Times reports.Airlines and airport employees are suffering more: Pilots, flight attendants, security personnel, baggage handlers, and even airport bus drivers report being overworked and stressed out like never before., But finding new staff has added to their woes. All Rights Reserved. As per CNN Traveller, last week at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport over 100 flights were cancelled on after the workers union staged a walkout to demand higher wages. In 2022 summer alone, there have been several similar strikes. Genevive Frydman, who works in risk management for Amazon, was one of the many stranded passengers. Because of the unexpected surge in travel, advisors are having to work harder to find inventory to meet the clients expectation on destination and price, Vlitas said. What UK flights are cancelled today? Photo by Robin van Lonkhuijsen. Low. In JetBlue's case, if it cancels a flight within four hours of its departure and cannot accommodate a traveler within an hour of the scheduled departure time, it offers $50 in compensation. Travelers have to be compensated from carriers who fail to deliver them to their destinations within a specific window of time, while unions are pressing for better salaries and work conditions. More than 2,000 flights have been dropped in just the past few days as rising fuel costs, and an apparent pilot shortage . Airport and airline employee strikes is one of the top reasons why flights get cancelled and delayed in Europe. The total includes many flights axed due to the airline's recent decision to reduce its schedule until the end of May due to rising coronavirus cases. Some airports, like Londons Heathrow, City and Gatwick, are preemptively canceling flights weeks and months in advance, although the most stressful cancelations are the ones with just a day or two in advance or even at the airport, without any warning. Speaking to CNBC, Tim Clark, president of the Dubai-based carrier and an airline veteran, said that he had never seen anything like the headwinds currently facing the industry. The main Spanish airline Iberia, recently revealed that delays at Madrids Barajas Airport have led to nearly 15,000 passengers missing their flights in the last weeks. 1 But the more significant issue is that the post-pandemic demand for travel is soaring far higher and far faster than most airlines anticipated, and the airlines aren't prepared to handle the large crowds. Xiamen has canceled several flights between China, Europe, America, and Oceania through April or early May. The summer has just started and predictions by experts are extremely discouraging. Newark Airport. Flexibility is especially important as the nation moves into peak summer travel season. Inclement Weather. To provide a visual idea of what travelers face, the flight tracking company FlightAware posts an aptly named MiseryMap, a live, graphic representation of current flight delays at airports around the U.S. Air travel has gotten so problematic that, in June, Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. secretary of transportation, pressured airline executives to revise flight schedules and do what that they can to minimize flight cancellations during the summer travel season. For those flying to or from Europe, the European Union has a compensation system that American passengers might be unaware of.