The new boss of one of the UK airports where passengers have arguably suffered the most with queues, delays and cancellations today warned he cannot promise passengers a ‘great’ experience this summer.
Manchester Airport’s managing director Chris Woodroofe said he expects ‘the vast majority’ of passengers to have a comfortable experience over the holiday season but admits he is still struggling to recruit staff so there will be more queues, sometimes out of departures.
And today, with less than a fortnight to go until the start of the state school summer holidays for most families, there were queues at Heathrow, Birmingham, and Manchester airports, even before the travel peak has started. Nearly 100,000 Heathrow passengers now face having their trips cancelled this summer due to a cap on flights, it emerged yesterday.
Mr Woodroofe has claimed said most will ‘get through security in 30 minutes, get on their plane and fly away’, adding: ‘There’s going to be examples where that doesn’t happen, and in advance, I’m sorry about that. That’s a terrible thing to have happened because we want everyone to get on their way’.
‘The aviation industry was decimated during Covid, and now has to do an enormous rebuild effort. That’s airports, airlines, ground handlers, border force. All of these organisations have the biggest recruitment effort they’ve ever had to do. The reality is we are still recruiting.’
Gatwick’s head of security, Cyrus Dana, has said they are on a hiring spree that will continue into 2023.
In a prediction for the upcoming summer holidays, he told the BBC: ‘There will be very rare occasions when you may join a queue outside of [the] departure [area]. But what I can encourage people to think about is that the queue will dissipate very quickly,’ he said, adding he still believed 90 per cent of people will be through security in ten minutes.
Manchester Airport: Queues for check-in this morning as the airport’s boss admitted he cannot promise passengers a ‘great’ experience this summer
Birmingham: Crowds in the early hours of this morning amid continuing problems with baggage being taken off planes
Heathrow: The queues for check-in at Heathrow’s security at 4.30am this morning
Manchester Airport’s managing director Chris Woodroofe and Gatwick’s head of security, Cyrus Dana, say that most will not suffer – but they are still struggling to recruit staff
Britain is the joint-worst major European country for flight cancellations, industry figures showed yesterday.
Passengers have had 2 per cent of their flights axed this year, a figure matched only by Germany. France lost 1.5 per cent and Italy 1.1 per cent.
The crisis was worst in late February, when more than 5.5 per cent of UK services were cancelled. It was 3 per cent at the start of this month.
The figures, from travel intelligence firm OAG, mean that a flight in 2022 is 2.5 times more likely to be cancelled than one booked during the same period in 2019.
British Airways has scrapped the most UK flights (3.5 per cent) – nearly 12 times as many as budget rival Ryanair (0.3 per cent), which was the best-performing major carrier worldwide. EasyJet axed 2.8 per cent.
Gatwick was the worst airport, with a cancellation rate ten times higher than Stansted, the best-performing UK hub.
More than 3 per cent of flights from Gatwick didn’t go ahead, compared with Stansted’s 0.3 per cent. June was the worst month this year for the West Sussex airport, with one in every 14 flights not taking off.
Most were flights by easyJet which has axed more than 10,000 services this summer.
BA, which also operates at Gatwick but mainly lands and takes off from Heathrow, has cancelled more than 30,000 flights this summer. The data, from January 1 to July 10, does not include 10,300 flights axed by BA last week for later this summer.
Both Gatwick and Heathrow have capped departures in a bid to avoid chaotic scenes seen in recent months, including last-minute cancellations and huge queues at check-in desks and baggage collection halls.
Heathrow chief John Holland-Kaye has warned disruption could drag on for 18 months, due partly to a tight labour market and struggles to attract and retain recruits.
An easyJet spokesman said: ‘The UK Government had the most onerous travel restrictions in Europe and, as the UK’s largest airline, we were disproportionately affected.’
A Gatwick spokesman said capacity would be increased carefully. A BA spokesman attributed disruption to storms in February, when one in seven of its flights was cancelled in a week. It also suffered an IT fault at the end of March.
John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, said: ‘When we entered Covid, airlines made a lot of people redundant.
‘During that two-year furlough period, those people found jobs elsewhere and have not returned to the industry. Of those that have returned, their security policies will have expired. They need to be vetted again and go through the same process as they did two years ago.’
At least 91,500 passengers will face disruption to their plans this summer after Heathrow bosses announced an unprecedented daily limit on flights as airport chaos continues to cripple UK travellers.
Pictures from the country’s airports including Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh, continue to show long queues of passengers with many complaining of delays and disruption to their journeys.
The 100,000 daily limit took effect immediately yesterday, with Heathrow telling airlines to cancel 10,000 flights on Monday, and the measures will remain in place until September 11.
Airport bosses also ordered UK airlines ‘stop selling summer tickets to limit the impact on passengers’ because Heathrow was already expecting an average of 104,000 daily outbound passengers in the coming months.
According to calculations by the Times, the cap means that at least 91,500 passengers face having their flights cancelled this summer, with the highest number falling on July 21 which is scheduled to be the airport’s busiest day.
It comes as the chief of airlines has slammed Heathrow Airport for introducing an unprecedented 100,000 limit on daily departing passengers until September
Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the airport should have gotten its act together after airlines predicted a strong rebound in traffic.
‘They clearly got it completely wrong,’ the former CEO of British Airways told Reuters.
At least 91,500 passengers will face disruption to plans this summer after Heathrow bosses announced an unprecedented 100,000 daily limit on flights as airport chaos continues to cripple UK travellers. Pictured: Bristol Airport this morning
Pictured: Passengers flying out of Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 faced long queues early on Wednesday morning
Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the airport should have gotten its act together after airlines predicted a strong rebound in traffic. Pictured: Passengers join lengthy queues at Manchester aiport
Up north in Scotland, there were also long queues this morning at Edinburgh Airport as passengers aimed to head abroad
Heathrow also ordered airlines to stop selling summer tickets as airports battle against a staffing crisis across the aviation sector while apologising to customers over long queues and baggage issues that holidaymakers have had to put up with for weeks.
The dramatic move will impose a maximum limit on the number of passengers allowed to leave the airport between July 12 until September 11.
Airlines had planned to operate flights with a daily capacity averaging 104,000 seats over that period – meaning further cancellations are likely.
Heathrow said it has ordered airlines to ‘stop selling summer tickets to limit the impact on passengers’.
The measure will lead to more cancellations on top of the thousands of flights axed in recent months.
Affected passengers will not be entitled to compensation as the reason for the cancellations will be classified as being outside the control of airlines.
Passengers have been hit by delays and cancellations at airports across the UK due to a shortage of staff after thousands were laid off or left the industry during Covid. Yesterday Heathrow cancelled another 61 flights at the last minute – disrupting 10,000 passengers.
And in a fresh sign of chaos, easyJet passengers ‘mutinied’ after being forced to wait for four hours on the Gatwick Airport runway yesterday. The plane never even departed and they had to wait ‘until midnight’ to collect their luggage after being returned to the terminal.
Heathrow’s chief executive John Holland-Kaye yesterday announced departing passengers would be capped at 100,000
Willie Walsh (pictured), director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the airport should have gotten its act together after airlines predicted a strong rebound in traffic
In the latest evidence of the chaos gripping UK airports, easyJet passengers were left stuck on a runway for four hours yesterday during searing conditions
Announcing the passenger cap, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said yesterday: ‘Over the past few weeks, as departing passenger numbers have regularly exceeded 100,000 a day, we have started to see periods when service drops to a level that is not acceptable.’
Problems include long queue times, delays for passengers requiring assistance, bags not travelling with passengers or arriving late, low punctuality and last-minute cancellations, Mr Holland-Kaye said.
He said this is due to a combination of poor punctuality of arrivals due to delays at other airports and in European airspace, as well as increased passenger numbers ‘starting to exceed the combined capacity of airlines, airline ground handlers and the airport’.
He added: ‘Our colleagues are going above and beyond to get as many passengers away as possible, but we cannot put them at risk for their own safety and wellbeing.’
Aviation expert Julian Bray predicted disruption at UK airports would continue until next spring.
‘Staffing issues remain as all airport aviation workers need security clearance which currently takes between 3 to 6 months. In this time many applicants get jobs elsewhere.’
Asked what customers should do if they have their flights cancelled, he said:
‘Passengers who have flights cancelled are entitled to compensation, and a flight on another airline if possible They should keep in touch with their airline, holiday company and travel agent.’
Nicky Kelvin, Head of The Points Guy UK, said: ‘While the move to cap passenger numbers will no doubt be disruptive to many travellers looking to jet away over the coming months it is needed if we’re to see a shift away from the travel chaos of recent months.
‘The numbers currently suggest that Heathrow is already hitting capacity for the number of passengers it is able to currently cater for. if you are still planning a getaway we’d advise you to plan your departure point accordingly, be flexible with dates if you can or consider other London or U.K. airports to star your journey.’
In the latest evidence of the chaos gripping UK airports, easyJet passengers were left stuck on a runway for four hours yesterday during searing conditions.
Car hire costs in European holiday hotspots soared by more than 500% since before pandemic, research reveals amid fears rocketing prices are making family getaways unaffordable
Holidaymakers heading to popular hotspots across Europe and North America were warned to brace for a staggering rise in the cost of hiring a car while abroad.
Experts say Brits bound for a summer of sun on the continent must be vigilant to the hidden costs of car rental, with some destinations seeing price hikes of over 500%.
The cost of hiring a car in Ireland this summer has risen from £104 (in 2019) to £679 – an increase of 551 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Portugal recorded the second highest rise in car hire costs, with renting a small car now costing £339 – soaring 239 per cent compared to 2019 (£100).
And among the 10 most-searched for countries in June, the cost of car hire has more than doubled in three years, according to comparison website Ice Travel Group.
Holidaymakers heading to popular tourist hotspots across Europe and North America were warned to brace for a staggering rise in the cost of hiring a car while abroad
The developments come as a fresh blow to sun-seeking Brits, who have already endured a summer of travel hell with more expensive flights and airports cancelling thousands of trips at the last minute.
Ed Sharp, of Ice Travel Group, told the Telegraph the most important factor behind the rise in car hire costs was a global shortage of microchips, which has in turn led to a downturn in the number of cars being produced.
Mr Sharp encourages holidaymakers to target deals in ‘mass market destinations’, where pricing is expected to be more competitive.
Experts say Brits bound for a summer of sun on the continent must be vigilant to the hidden costs of car rental, with some destinations seeing price hikes of over 500%. [File image]
Other recommendations include avoiding island destinations where rental companies face the logistical challenge of moving their fleets over water.
Consumer campaigner Frank Brehany said: ‘If people book flights and think they can take a chance on car hire they will be badly surprised.
‘Travel won’t be back to normal until 2023 or 2024. Book at the earliest possible time, because I suspect the prices now will be the best you will get.’
Estonia offered the cheapest car hire in Europe, with the average booking costing £112.
It comes as families face being hammered by punishing price rises as travel firms cash in on high demand for summer holidays after the Covid crisis.
The average cost of a week’s all-inclusive break for four across Europe’s top ten destinations has risen 17 per cent to £1,000 a head since June 2019, a study found.
(Stock Image) Sunny summer holidays abroad are being pushed further out of reach as prices soar for Brits
(Stock image) The price of flights, car hire and more are continuing to increase this summer amid high demand
Car hire rocketed from an average £220 to almost £500, while the cost of single-trip travel insurance is up 40.5 per cent from £37.02 to £52.02.
Research by the travel comparison site Ice Travel Group paints a bleak picture, not least because a fall in the pound makes everything from tapas to an ice cream more expensive.
Industry experts say that the holiday industry is cashing in on the fact that taking a summer holiday is a priority for families who have suffered during the Covid crisis.
Chris Webber, head of holidays at Ice Travel, said getting away remains a ‘priority expense’ and demand is ‘directly impacting’ price rises.
He added: ‘Holiday prices are being hit by a number of factors – increased energy and fuel costs, increased demand and also by businesses, such as hotels, trying to recoup some of the money lost in the pandemic.’
Revealed: The best ways to dodge a holiday car hire nightmare, from joining loyalty schemes to the trusted brands to book with
By Neil Simpson for the Mail on Sunday
Book now and box clever to avoid a car hire crisis this summer. That’s the message from travel experts who fear rental costs will soar and availability will slump as summer approaches.
‘Rocketing car rental prices are set to hit holiday budgets hard wherever you go this year,’ says Rory Boland, editor of the Which? Travel guide. In the worst cases, he says some areas may run out of cars completely.
Today’s cost and availability crisis began in 2020 when the travel industry shut down and rental firms began selling cars to survive. Industry estimates say American rental firms sold a third of their cars in the first year of the pandemic, while European firms cut fleets by more than half.
But while demand from holidaymakers has recovered, rental firms are a long way from rebuilding their fleets (they say it’s due to supply-chain issues). They are also charging eye-watering prices for car hire.
A two-week summertime rental from Palma airport on Majorca that cost about £200 pre-pandemic is now on offer for more than £700, for example. A ten-day rental from Los Angeles Airport, perfect to drive the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco and back, has risen from under £500 in August 2019 to more than £1,250 this year.
Prices are equally high from Faro to Florida, and they’re expected to keep rising until at least the end of the summer. Booking early can take some sting out of the situation, as even today’s prices may look like bargains by the time the school holidays arrive.
Another tip is to pay in full when you book. That’s because rental firms may be taking bookings now for cars they hope to have delivered over the next few months. If the vehicles don’t materialise and some rentals have to be cancelled, customers who pre-paid in full should get priority over those with ‘pay on collection’ contracts.
Members of rental firms’ loyalty schemes should also get priority. Signing up is free and with Avis Preferred and others, you earn money-off vouchers for future rentals. This can normally be done even if the booking is through a travel agent.
If cars are scarce this summer, it’s also worth responding to any ‘digital check-in’ or ‘pre-register for a speedy getaway’ emails from your rental firm.
Recent holidaymakers say pre-registration takes time, as you may need to repeat the flight, driving licence, passport and other details you gave at the booking stage. But the more you do to ensure rental firms know you’re coming, the more likely you are to get a car.
Some say booking direct with a car hire firm makes sense this year as you won’t have to deal with middle-men if there’s a problem.
Others like having a trusted UK-based brand in their corner. Firms such as Trailfinders, Travel Counsellors, Hays Travel, Jet2 Holidays, British Airways Holidays and Kuoni score well in the latest Which? report on package holiday service standards for flights, hotels and hire cars.
However you book, check for flexible terms so that it can be cancelled for free if you are unable to travel.
And don’t expect that new-car smell, especially in popular American destinations like Las Vegas and Orlando. Rental firms that once sold cars before they had 50,000 miles on the clock are now keeping them twice as long.
