Holidaymakers are forced to sleep by the BINS in Heathrow as British Airways cancel flights for up to 105,000 passengers this month while ministers are urged to ‘get a grip’ before school summer holidays
- The airline has told bosses at Gatwick and Heathrow it is cancelling more than 650 flights over coming weeks
- Journeys were to more than 70 destinations including the likes of Malaga, Ibiza, Palma, Faro and Athens
- Ministers urged review of flight plans after manic scenes sparked by staff shortages and overselling of seats
Holidaymakers were today forced to sleep by the bins in Heathrow as Britain’s airport chaos took yet another turn for the worse.
A young family were spotted catching up on rest in the most uncomfortable of positions, as terminals up and down the country are once again packed with frustrated, queuing passengers.
It comes as British Airways revealed it is axing journeys for up to 105,000 holidaymakers this month – telling bosses at Gatwick and Heathrow it is cancelling more than 650 flights to more than 70 destinations including Malaga, Ibiza, Palma, Faro and Athens to try and avoid more chaos at terminals.
Affected passengers are being contacted and offered refunds or the chance to rebook.
The move has been allowed due to a temporary Government ‘amnesty’ on scheduling rules, meaning airlines can make changes without risking a fine.
Ministers urged firms to review their flight plans after manic scenes in recent months, sparked by staff shortages and an overselling of seats to meet demand.
A BA spokesman told the Telegraph: ‘As the entire aviation industry continues to face the most challenging period in its history, regrettably it has become necessary to make some further reductions. We’re in touch with customers to apologise and offer to rebook them or issue a full refund.’
Today, travellers were pictured enduring yet more long queues at major airports amid fears of a holiday stampede in the next fortnight, when schools break up for summer.
Passengers resort to sleeping on the floor near rubbish bins at Heathrow as they wait for their flights to board
There were long queues at Luton Airport this morning as the aviation crisis continues to cause chaos across Britain
There were long queues at Manchester Airport this morning as the aviation crisis continues to cause chaos across Britain
Ministers urged firms to review their flight plans after manic scenes in recent months, sparked by staff shortages and an overselling of seats to meet demand. Pictured: Birmingham Airport this morning
There were long queues at Luton Airport this morning as the aviation crisis continues to cause chaos across Britain
A passenger at Heathrow airport takes time out for a snooze amid more queues and delays today
There were long queues at Heathrow Airport this morning as the aviation crisis continues to cause chaos across Britain
Unions say no to more night flights as they oppose Government’s bid to solve airports crisis
Union bosses have vowed to oppose using night flights to ease travel chaos, it was reported last night.
In yet another blow for holidaymakers, unions said they would push back against plans to relax overnight flight rules that would see staff working ‘anti-social hours’.
Airlines are limited to the number of flights that can run between 11.30pm and 6am at major airports, which often leads to flights being cancelled if they are delayed.
Amid mounting pressure to solve the travel chaos, the Department for Transport said it will consider suspending the rules to ease disruption.
But last night unions vowed to oppose the plans over fears staff could be made to work long hours during the night.
A GMB union source told the Daily Telegraph: ‘It’s not fair to force our members to work nights to pick up the slack for their mistakes.’
It comes as holidaymakers are now facing a summer of travel chaos in Europe as countries across the continent grapple with staff shortages and strikes.
Huw Merriman, chairman of the transport select committee warned that the plan could ‘annoy the heck out of residents’ but said he was open to finding out more about lifting the night ban.
He added: ‘I don’t see what good that would do and can see what damage that would do. I don’t know if crew will want to fly at two in the morning.’
Labour yesterday demanded Transport Secretary Grant Shapps ‘get a grip fast’ as the crisis continues to worsen, after easyJet’s chief operating officer resigned following fury at the budget airline’s cancellation of thousands of flights.
And unions said they would push back against plans to relax overnight flight rules, leading to staff working ‘antisocial hours’.
One passenger waiting at Manchester Airport yesterday tweeted a photo of a queue to enter Terminal 3 that stretched into the multi-storey car park.
A second complained of ‘carnage’ while a third added: ‘Today is the worst ever. Actually standing in the car park to wait for security. Utter shambles.’
Travellers also posted images of long lines at Heathrow, with one saying the queue for security ‘starts outside the terminal’. He added: ‘Avoid at all costs. Total mess.’
Problems at Heathrow are set to worsen when the school holidays begin and check-in and ground staff are expected to strike.
But insiders denied security waits yesterday were excessive.
At London City Airport – which has largely escaped the worst of the disruption – one passenger said it had taken ‘three hours to get through security at 6am’.
He added: ‘Totally out of control, what a mess.’
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, who sits on the Commons transport committee, said: ‘If airports are already in meltdown now things will only get worse once the schools break for summer holidays. It’s going to be complete chaos if they do not get a grip – and get a grip fast.’
The boss of Heathrow has warned of up to 18 months of disruption as airlines struggle to recruit and train staff.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is considering temporarily suspending rules on night flights.
Airlines are currently restricted in how many flights they can run between 11.30pm and 6am at major airports, which often leads to cancellations in case of delays.
But a GMB union source told the Daily Telegraph: ‘It’s not fair to force our members to work nights to pick up the slack for their mistakes.’ Responding to passenger complaints, London City Airport insisted the ‘average journey time’ through the airport yesterday was 45 minutes.
A spokesman blamed staff sickness and handling passengers rebooked from other airports.
Manchester Airport apologised for ‘any inconvenience caused’ but insisted ‘the vast majority of people’ passed through security in less than 30 minutes yesterday.
Heathrow insisted the airport was ‘busy but flowing’ yesterday, saying that while queues may have looked ‘daunting’, this was due to the layout of buildings. A spokesman said the ‘vast majority’ of passengers got through security in less than 30 minutes.
Security queues at Heathrow Terminal 2 were seen stretching out the doors yesterday morning
One passenger at Manchester Airport yesterday (pictured) showed queues into a car park
Life was no better at Stansted yesterday, where passengers arrived extra early for their flights
A passenger at Manchester claimed the queue yesterday stretched into a multi-storey car park
A passenger at Heathrow Airport posted this picture of huge crowds at 4am yesterday
Queues in the car park at Manchester Airport yesterday as passengers tried to head on holiday
Meanwhile, easyJet’s chief operating officer Peter Bellew resigned yesterday amid growing pressure on the airline to reduce flight disruption. It has axed thousands of flights in recent months – including many just hours before they were due to depart.
Airlines have until Friday to take advantage of a government ‘amnesty’ allowing them to change airport schedules without facing a potential penalty.
Mr Shapps is trying to avoid a summer repeat of the mayhem over the Easter and Platinum Jubilee holidays.
The Government has ordered vetting centres carrying out checks on new recruits to prioritise airport staff. The DfT said counter-terrorist and accreditation checks were now being completed in record time.
A Heathrow spokesman said: ‘This is a busy period as people make the most of the ability to travel for the first summer in three years. We are doing everything we can to give everyone a good journey and for the vast majority of passengers this is the experience they are having.’
A DfT spokesman said it was ‘working closely with the aviation sector to help holidaymakers enjoy the summer getaways they deserve’.
He added: ‘It’s now on airlines to commit to running the flights they’ve promised and for airports and ground handlers to ensure they have the staff needed to enable these flights.’
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