An African airline lobby suggests urgent wider adoption of hop-and-pick services, seeing it as a solution to ailing carriers, and as a way to ease restrictive air travel on the continent.

This, and the expanded sharing of routes were among suggestions it wants African Union member states to implement and save operators from loss.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) agreed this week at the end of the African Aviation Laboratory in Nairobi. The lobby wants airlines based in Africa to fly more freely, without having to first return to their hubs. For example, they want an airline, say based in Nairobi, to ply a general route to South Africa by picking up passengers and dropping others at main airports without having to return to Nairobi for connection.

Airlines can also be allowed to fly into smaller cities of other countries without first having to land in the capitals. The lobby calls that ‘freedom flights.’ That, they argue, will allow convenience, ease cost of operations and eventually open up more skies for more people.

“We have received a number of requests from African and Europe airlines to fly direct to Mombasa and Nairobi,” Kenya Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said this week in Mombasa while inspecting state projects.

Six-point strategy

“We shall review them and give permits to boost tourism but as we do so, we are also pushing for Kenya Airways to be granted the same in different countries.”

This proposal is part of the six strategies they put forward in their declaration, mainly focusing on sharing key facilities as a means to cut cost, gain traffic in a new market, improving aircraft utilisation and providing efficient services.

AFRAA, in collaboration with the African Aviation Group, said AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthé, will work for the roadmap’s adoption at the next AU sitting to ensure sustainability of the air transport sector in Africa.

“The lab provides a constructive opportunity to share views and build transformative solutions necessary to address sustainability and competitiveness of Africa’s air transport. “AFRAA will continue to spearhead the Laboratory outcomes to ensure Africa achieves survival in the short-term and its sustainability in the long-term,” said Mr Berthé.

Implementation will take time as the process must first be adopted by the AU and then ratified by individual members. Aviation in Africa has suffered from high air ticket costs to long layovers at airports, making it cumbersome to connect between cities in parts of the continent. Some people often fly to another continent before returning to Africa as the connection may be faster.

The lobby also wants localised code-sharing so airlines can complete each other’s passenger trips on the same ticket. This already happens with some airlines outside Africa.

The conference also agreed to develop guidelines and economic regulatory framework for harmonising taxes, charges, and fees. And to achieve sustainability, there is need to reduce taxes on fuel and abolish Custom duties on spare parts and aircraft in line with relevant provisions of the ICAO Convention.

Efficiency

The Laboratory, a hybrid event of 150 participants from AFRAA, African airlines, airport authorities, ACI Africa, Civil Aviation Authorities, Air Navigation Service Providers, and independent industry experts among others called upon States, development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders to support the implementation of the roadmap.

The association also pointed out the need to streamline and automate the flight permits acquisition processes across Civil Aviation Authorities to achieve competitive and affordable air travel to boost trade and tourism in Africa.

In the roadmap, which will be tabled for adoption by AU policy organs recommended need to boost flight operation efficiency in African airspace to attain productivity gains for airlines and air navigation service providers.

It is expected that African airlines revenue is expected to reduce by more than half as more countries ease travel restrictions by removing the requirement for testing on fully vaccinated passengers.

According to latest prediction of IATA, full year revenue loss for African airlines for 2022 is estimated at $4.1 billion, equivalent to 23.4 percent of the 2019 revenues.

Cost of pandemic

In 2021, African airlines cumulatively lost $8.6 billion in revenues due to the impact of the pandemic, representing 49.8 per cent of 2019.

IATA states by end of June, many states in Africa had eased travel restrictions by removing the requirement for testing on fully vaccinated passengers.

“With different countries among them Chinese having set out plans to ease Covid-19 restrictions in stages for a return to more normal life, the aviation sector is predicted to fully recover in 2024,” read part of the latest report by the association.

According to IATA, the global recovery rate is 98.8 percent compared with 97.9 percent in Africa.

In May 2022, African airlines’ capacity deployed reached 76.6 percent of 2019 capacity. Traffic recovery is now at 66.3 percent of 2019 pre-Covid level.

Domestic markets continue to remain dominant in both capacity and actual passenger carried. Domestic demand at 42.1 percent outperformed intra-Africa and intercontinental which remained subdued at 30.2 percent and 27.7 percent for intra-Africa and intercontinental respectively.

The percentage of international routes operated by African airlines is estimated to reach an impressive 92.2 percent in May 2022 compared with February 2020.

The intra-African passenger traffic recovery is estimated at 74 percent in May due to the easing of anti-Covid-19 restrictions in several African countries.

Generally, across Africa, passenger traffic volumes remain low because of the high ticket cost and travel apathy.

It is hoped that with the continued relaxation of lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions in many countries, traffic will increase as we approach the summer holiday peak season.

The aviation sector has also suffered blow in different sectors where average jet fuel price continues to rise globally, impacting on airlines operating costs.

Airline revenues remained low with many operators battling with cash-flow issues.

Source: The East African

Africa’s largest carrier Ethiopian Airlines is ready to revive its codeshare agreement with the recently privatized Air India. The airline has been quite robust with its network expansion in India over the years and profits from a significant number of connecting passengers from the country.

Codeshare resumption

Ethiopian Airlines is currently in talks with Air India to revive its codeshare agreement. The two airlines first signed the deal in 2011, but the agreement was suspended shortly before the pandemic due to operational difficulties. Now, with markets opening again after COVID, the African carrier feels the time is right to resume the relationship with AI.

Ethiopian’s Chief Commercial Officer Lemma Yadecha Gudeta told The Hindu Business Line that he met Air India officials at the recently held IATA Annual General Meeting in Doha and that they were positive about continuing the agreement. He added,

“We are holding discussions with officials of Air India and reviving the agreement will not be a problem. We have been partners for so long, and it is just a matter of readjusting the technical part of the Code Share.”

Other airlines are in the running, too

Air India isn’t the only Indian carrier Ethiopian has its eyes on. The airline wants to lure as many Indian passengers as possible for flight connections from its primary hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD).

The carrier is looking to create commercial partnerships with Indian low-cost carriers such as IndiGo and SpiceJet. Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines is also assessing the prospects of setting up its aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in the country.

Around 90% of Ethiopian’s passengers traveling from India are transit passengers going further to the airlines’ African points, mainly to Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and Zambia, among others. Its biggest destinations in India – Mumbai and Delhi – supply a steady flow of business and leisure passengers to the airline, and it wants to double down on that by having multiple codeshare options.

Focus on India

Ethiopian Airlines has had a long association with India. The airline recently celebrated 50 years of uninterrupted service to Mumbai, debuting its flights to the city in December 1961. Its flights to New Delhi began even before, in 1966, just 20 years after the carrier was founded.

The carrier offers passenger services to four Indian cities – Mumbai (2x daily), Delhi (10x weekly), Bengaluru (3x weekly), and Chennai (3x weekly). The service to Bengaluru was started just before the onset of the pandemic, and flights to Chennai began recently on July 2nd. In fact, Ethiopian’s Chennai flight is the first and currently only flight connecting the city directly with an African destination.

Ethiopian also operates cargo flights to India and deploys its freighter aircraft to Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad. The airline is next eyeing passenger services to Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, subject to permission from India’s Civil Aviation Ministry.

Source: Simple Flying

Dubai’s travel agencies are facing staffing issues as travel demand heads back into full growth, according to a top official with an industry grouping.

“During the pandemic, some staff went into other industries and that’s affecting the number of people available,” said Sumit Acharya, Vice-President of Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group (DTTAG).

Instead of hiring fresh recruits and training them, agencies are on the lookout for more experienced candidates, who can “hit the ground running”. They are also being offered significant pay hikes, Acharya added.

This could lead to a sector-wide hike in salaries as employers look to lock down their best talent. An average travel agent in Dubai typically earns around Dh13,000 per month, with salaries ranging from Dh7,020-Dh19,600, according to Salaryexplorer.

“When an agency wins a contract, they need to ramp up hiring and they would rather get someone from another company who is ready and trained,” said Acharya.

Big steps to travel rebound

Last week, Dubai issued a resolution cancelling fees levied on airline agents and offices operating in Dubai. Acharya said the decision is a positive step but will only apply to General Sales Agencies (GSAs), who are airlines’ local sales representatives.

Acharya explained that unlike normal travel agencies that sell tickets for all airlines, GSAs act as an office for an airline in a particular location. “Each time the GSA opens a branch office they would have to pay additional fees– that’s what’s been referred to here.”

The travel industry official hopes that there is a review of the different fees paid by the broader sector related to licensing. “It’s a very positive development for GSAs and the industry has been talking about this to different parts of the government for some time – it’s very gratifying.”

Back to pre-Covid?

The long Eid weekend, followed by the summer break, could propel Dubai’s travel agents to pre-pandemic numbers. Acharya, citing numbers seen on IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) platform, said that Dubai’s travel agencies are 30 per cent below 2019 levels in terms of the number of transactions.

The ongoing disruptions in major North American and European hubs could cast a cloud over immediate recovery prospects. “There’s a fair bit of chaos and, in some cases, it can take two-and-a-half hours just to get done with the arrival processes, and that’s not a pleasant experience,” said Acharya.

Acharya believes the disruptions will have a big impact on passengers’ confidence in the aviation industry, especially since it has only been a few months since travel restrictions were relaxed in those markets.

Travel agencies still relevant

The massive flight delays and cancellations triggered by the pandemic had some industry sources thinking that customers would develop a stronger preference for direct airline bookings. But, that’s not been the case.

“During the pandemic, people figured out how easy it is to have a one-stop shop like a travel agency,” said Acharya. “Agencies can make whatever changes required by the consumers – getting through to airlines has been quite a challenge.”

High fuel

The pent-up travel demand, which has been driving international air traffic, may grind to a halt by the end of this year amid high fuel prices. But this is not a source of bother for Dubai’s travel agencies.

“The presence of a large expatriate population presents a certain compulsion for travel,” said Acharya. “There’s a lot of regional travel that’s going to grow compared to 2019.”

Source: Gulf News

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the South African Travel & Tourism’s GDP will drive the national economic recovery over the next decade.

The forecast from WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the South African Travel & Tourism sector is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 7.6% annually over the next decade, significantly outstripping the 1.8% growth rate of the country’s overall economy.

By 2032, the sector’s contribution to GDP could reach more than ZAR 554.6 billion (7.4% of the total economy), injecting nearly ZAR 287 billion into the national economy.

The sector is also expected to create more than 800,000 jobs over the next decade, to reach more than 1.9 million by 2032.

Although the data reveals a bright future for South Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector, the recovery was seriously hampered after the detection and surge of the Omicron variant.

Many countries around the world placed severe and damaging restrictions on African countries, which caused even further damage to those economies and put thousands more livelihoods at risk.

By the end of this year, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 37.2% year on year, to nearly ZAR 268 billion (4.3% of total economy).

Employment in the sector is set to grow by 3.8%% to reach more than 1.1 million jobs.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Although the future looks bright for the South African Travel & Tourism sector, the recovery this year will be slower than expected.”

“Knee-jerk travel restrictions imposed over South Africa and other African destinations were impulsive and unjustified. Instead of punishing, these countries should have been praised for discovering the variant early.”

“However, with GDP contribution and jobs on the rise, the long-term forecast looks very positive.”

In 2019, the South African Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP as a share of total economy was 6.4% (ZAR 405.2 billion), falling to just 3.1% (ZAR 180 billion) in 2020, which represented a staggering 55.6% loss.

The sector also supported more than 1.5 million jobs across the country, before suffering a 29.9% drop, falling to just over one million.

WTTC’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for South Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector.

Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 8.4% year on year, to reach just over ZAR 195 billion.

The sector also saw a recovery of 20,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a 1.9% rise to reach almost nearly 1.1 million.

Source: Hospitalitynet

The federal government announced Wednesday all existing border restrictions to enter Canada will remain in place until at least Sept. 30. That means foreign travellers will still need to provide proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the country and unvaccinated Canadians or permanent residents will need to provide a molecular Covid-19 test taken prior to entering and quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The government is also still requiring all travellers, regardless of citizenship, to upload their vaccine information and travel documents to the ArriveCan app. The restrictions were last extended on May 31.

In addition, the pause of mandatory random testing will continue at all airports until mid-July, for travellers who qualify as fully vaccinated. The pause was put in place on June 11, 2022, and is allowing airports to focus on streamlining their operations, while the Government of Canada moves forward with its planned move of COVID-19 testing for air travellers outside of airports to select test provider stores, pharmacies, or by virtual appointment. Mandatory random testing continues at land border points of entry, with no changes. Travellers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated, unless exempt, will continue to test on Day 1 and Day 8 of their 14-day quarantine.

Moving testing outside of airports will allow Canada to adjust to increased traveller volumes while still being able to monitor and quickly respond to new variants of concern, or changes to the epidemiological situation. Border testing is an important tool in Canada’s detection and surveillance of COVID-19 and has been essential in helping us slow the spread of the virus. Data from the testing program are used to understand the current level and trends of importation of COVID-19 into Canada. Border testing also allows for the detection and identification of new COVID-19 variants of concern that could pose a significant risk to the health and safety of Canadians. In addition, this data has and continues to inform the Government of Canada’s safe easing of border measures.

All travellers must continue to use ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) to provide mandatory travel information within 72 hours before their arrival in Canada, and/or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada, with few exceptions. Additional efforts are being undertaken to enhance compliance with ArriveCAN, which is already over 95% for travellers arriving by land and air combined.
Quotes

“As we move into the next phase of our COVID-19 response, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over. We must continue to do all that we can to keep ourselves and others safe from the virus. It is also important for individuals to remain up to date with the recommended vaccinations to ensure they are adequately protected against infection, transmission, and severe complications. As we have said all along, Canada’s border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, guided by science and prudence.” The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health

“Today’s announcement would not be possible without Canadians’ continued efforts to vaccinate themselves, wear their masks, and follow public health advice while travelling. Our Government’s commitment will always be to protect passengers, employees, and their communities from the impacts of COVID-19, while keeping our transportation system strong, efficient, and resilient for the long-term.”, The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport

Source: Breaking Travel News

Under the directive of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28) will be hosted at Dubai Expo City.

The directive underlines the venue’s unique proposition as a state-of-the-art destination, which brought the world together in the UAE for six months. Both Expo 2020 and COP28 share similar objectives: achieving sustainability and promoting international action as essential steps towards facing global challenges.

COP28 focuses on key pillars, including the implementation of climate commitments and pledges, inclusion, working together to take concrete action and identifying solutions that contribute to overcoming challenges, and seizing opportunities to ensure a sustainable future for present and future generations.

The selection of Dubai Expo City as a venue for COP28 builds on the legacy and message of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, and affirms commitment to the themes of sustainability, opportunity, and mobility, while showcasing its advanced and sustainable infrastructure, in line with the UAE’s vision for COP28.

The conference is expected to see over 45,000 participants daily, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts and representatives of civil society organizations.

The new city, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will be a global hub for innovation and creativity. It will represent a model for the future city that preserves the UAE’s legacy as an active contributor to the progress of the region and the world.

The UAE has a proven track record in climate action and multilateral cooperation. It is the permanent host country for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the first country in the region to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement, and the first in the region to commit to an economy-wide reduction in emissions.

In addition, the UAE has also established itself as a world-class destination for hosting high-level international events focusing on climate action and sustainable development.

Over the past 15 years, the UAE has emerged as a regional leader in renewable and clean energy investments, both domestically and internationally. It invested US$50 billion in clean energy and has recently announced its plans to invest more than US$50 billion over the next decade in additional projects, including hydrogen and ammonia.

The UAE operates three of the world’s largest and lowest-cost solar plants and has invested in renewable energy projects in 70 countries. These investments include more than US$1 billion in grants and loans to 27 island countries that are resource-stressed and particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

The UAE leverages effective and innovative climate action as a key driver to building a new, low-emissions economic growth model, underpinned by sustainability, and one that will create meaningful employment opportunities in new sectors thereby driving the ambitions of the UAE, the region, and the world.

COP28 represents a moment of vital significance as the world seeks to maximise progress since the Paris Agreement. The conference will witness a critical stocktaking moment for climate action under the Paris Agreement, in addition to defining future Nationally Determined Contributions.

With Egypt hosting COP27 in November 2022, the UAE is committed to working closely with the host government to accelerate global progress in climate action and adapting to the repercussions of climate change.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was launched in 1992 in Brazil. The conferences are formal meetings, held annually since 1995, which aim to find solutions to reduce the impacts of climate change. At COP26 in Glasgow, the UAE was chosen to host COP28 in November 2023.

Source: Travel and Tour World

British Airways is removing a further 10,300 short-haul flights from the start of August until the end of October, to build resilience into its schedules amidst ongoing disruption across the industry.  

The latest cuts come just days after reports BA was trimming 1,000 flights to destinations this summer across Greece, Spain and Portugal from its London hubs. Airlines including easyJet and Lufthansa Group airlines have also been removing flights in light of ongoing staff shortages at airlines, airports and air traffic control.   

Long-haul flights are unaffected by the latest round of BA adjustments. In total, BA has now altered 13% of its summer schedule.  

The British flag carrier said it decided to trim schedules after the government said it would ease slot rules – where airlines have to use valuable take-off and landing slots at airports or face giving them up.  

“The whole aviation industry continues to face into significant challenges and we’re completely focussed on building resilience into our operation to give customers the certainty they deserve,” the carrier said in an emailed statement on July 7, 2022.  

“While taking further action is not where we wanted to be, it’s the right thing to do for our customers and our colleagues.”  

BA said the new slot flexibility means it can consolidate some of its less busy services in order to protect holiday flights.  

“While most of our flights are unaffected and the majority of customers will get away as planned, we don’t underestimate the impact this will have and we’re doing everything we can to get their travel plans back on track,” BA said, saying it was getting in touch with passengers about rebooking or refunds.  

The carrier is also facing the threat of strikes at London Heathrow (LHR), its main hub. Plane refuelers at the airport have voted to strike while check-in staff represented by two unions have also voted in favor of walkouts in a row over reversing pandemic pay cuts.  

Source: Aerotime Hub

Four in 10 travel insurance policies offer no protection for air passengers if holidays are cancelled owing to strikes, Which? has warned.

While airlines are required by law to refund the cost of a cancelled flight, some holidaymakers could lose money spent on hotels and other expenses.

The consumer group is urging people to look closely at their policy ahead of expected summer disruption.

Package holidays are covered in full if any part of the trip is cancelled.

Which? said that travellers who organise flights, accommodation, car hire and so on separately should always buy suitable travel insurance when they book.

If your flight is cancelled, customers have the right to either a full refund or a replacement flight. Many hotels also offer cancellation policies without a penalty.

However, many travellers could find themselves in need of a travel insurance claim if their holiday is thrown into disarray by a flight cancellations.

Which? assessed 199 policies offered by 71 providers and found 120 of them offered cover if travellers have to cancel a trip owing to strike action.

Of the remainder, 78 did not provide cover for cancellations owing to strikes, while for one policy it was an optional extra.

The consumer group said there were also significant disparities between policies for holidays affected by Covid.

Jenny Ross, money editor at Which?, said: “With many airlines warning of widespread disruption this summer and Covid cases on the rise, travellers should ensure they have taken out adequate insurance to cover any losses or unexpected costs they might face.

“We advise travellers to always check policies carefully to ensure they offer the cover that will be most appropriate to their trip, and to ensure they have cover in place from the time of booking.”

Can you get compensation if your flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled, you have the right to either a full refund, or a replacement flight.

“That different flight does not need to be with the same carrier – it can be an alternative, as long as it flies on the same day,” says Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership.

If you and the airline can’t agree on a new flight, it will refund you.

If the flight was cancelled with 14 days or less notice, you may also be entitled to compensation – but only if the airline is at fault.

“If it’s a direct result of the airline, you’re entitled to compensation, but if it’s the airport, your compensation doesn’t kick in,” says Mrs Lo Bue-Said.

Cancellation plan

Last month, hundreds of British Airways workers at Heathrow Airport voted to go on strike over pay.

In addition to strikes, many businesses have struggled to recruit enough new staff to deal with resurgent demand for travel following the easing of Covid rules.

Airlines are expected to announce a series of cancellations to UK summer flights this week aimed at minimising disruption in the peak holiday season.

A government “amnesty” to the rules on airport slots is in place until Friday, allowing airlines to change schedules without facing a potential penalty.

Gatwick has already said it will be reducing the number of flights during the summer. Heathrow to date has not announced similar plans although last week it ordered 30 flights to be cancelled, saying it was expecting more passenger numbers than it could cope with.

Manchester Airport warned it would not be able to return to its pre-pandemic standards until the autumn.

On Monday, EasyJet said its chief operating officer, Peter Bellew, had resigned after a series of flight cancellations and disruption at the airline in recent weeks.

Source: BBC

The UK government has announced a new plan to address travel disruption in the aviation industry. The 22-point plan aims to avoid a repeat of the problems seen across UK airports over the past few months.

UK tackles aviation travel disruption

In response to the severe travel disruption across the UK this year, particularly over the busy Easter period, the UK government has launched a series of measures to support the aviation industry and passengers.

The joint initiative from the Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) aims to “minimize disruption in the aviation sector and protect passengers if it does happen.”

Staff shortages and rising travel demand caught many airlines and airports unaware, leading to long delays and thousands of canceled flights.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said,

“The 22 measures we’ve published today set out what we’re doing to support the industry. It’s now on airports and airlines to commit to running the flights they’ve promised or cancel them with plenty of time to spare, so we can avoid the kind of scenes we saw at Easter and half-term.”

The 22-point plan

As laid out on the UK government website, the 22-point plan is split into three broad categories – industry support, passenger support, and recruitment and training support.

Key takeaways from the plan include:

Industry Support

• New regulations on airport slots, including an “amnesty” to hand back slots that can’t be fulfilled.
• Weekly committees, including a Strategic Risk Group and Summer Resilience Group.
• Weekly updates on schedule viability to ensure airline schedules can be fulfilled.

Passenger Support

• A new Aviation Passenger Charter offering guidance on the rights and responsibilities of an air passenger.
• Reviewing current airline practices on passenger care, compensation and legal responsibility.
• Strengthening consumer protection, including expanding the CAA’s enforcement powers and written warnings to airports and airlines.

Recruitment and Training Support

• Legal changes to enable airlines and airports to train and deploy staff more quickly.
• Building partnerships with colleges and universities to attract interest in aviation.
• Launching the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme (AGOSS) backed by £161 million in grants.

Aviation Minister Robert Courts said,

“The action we’ve taken to support airlines and airports isn’t just about minimizing disruption this summer, but helping the sector recruit the staff it needs for the long term. I look forward to continuing to support them in this effort where we can.”

Consumer group Which? responds

In June, Simple Flying reported on UK consumer rights group Which? warning that the government’s proposals on passenger compensation will weaken passenger rights.

Which? has responded to the government’s new 22-point plan, reiterating its belief that the CAA should be granted the power to directly fine airlines.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said,

“The shameful scenes at UK airports show why passengers need their rights to be strengthened and enforced by a strong regulator and compensation regime. The government should give the CAA powers to fine airlines directly when they flout the law, and drop plans to cut passenger compensation for delayed and cancelled domestic flights.”

Source: Simple Flying

Passengers have complained of queues and “total chaos” at Heathrow after the airport asked airlines to remove 30 flights from Thursday’s schedule.

The UK’s largest airport asked airlines to cut the flights because it was expecting more passenger numbers than it can currently cope with.

Some passengers did not know that their flights were cancelled until they arrived at the airport.

Heathrow said the cancellations were necessary for safety.

Travel writer and broadcaster Andy Mossack tweeted that there was “total chaos” and “zero customer service” at the airport on Thursday morning.

Mr Mossack, who was due to fly to Geneva at 08:25am, told the BBC he was told of the cancellation via an email about 6.00am which he didn’t see until he arrived at the airport.

“There are no flights to Geneva until Sunday or Monday. So I’ve had to come home”.

Terminal 5 was “awful… there were hundreds of people there. Some sleeping on the floor”.

Another passenger tweeted that terminal 5 was a “disgraceful shambles” after he arrived on Thursday morning to find his flight cancelled.

PA reported that one passenger, Andrew Douglas, said he had spent four hours in queues to find out at check-in that his flight had been cancelled with no prior notifications.

Other travellers complained of poor customer service and a lack of help when trying to rebook their flights.

A Heathrow spokesman said: “We will work with airlines to get affected passengers rebooked onto other flights outside of the peak so that as many as possible can get away, and we apologise for the impact this has on travel plans.

“We are working hard to ensure everyone has a smooth journey through Heathrow this summer, and the most important thing is to make sure that all service providers at the airport have enough resources to meet demand.”

A spokesman from British Airways, one of the airlines affected, said: “As a result of Heathrow’s requirement for all airlines to reduce their schedules, we’ve made a small number of cancellations.”

The airline said it was in contact with affected customers to “apologise, advise them of their consumer rights and offer them alternative options, including a refund or rebooking.”

Virgin Atlantic said one of their Heathrow to New York return services had been cut in each direction, while Air France, KLM, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines and Air Canada are also affected.

Meanwhile, the government is calling on the industry to run “realistic” summer schedules and alert passengers to any flight changes as “early as possible” to minimise disruption.

“It’s now on airports and airlines to commit to running the flights they’ve promised or cancel them with plenty of time to spare so we can avoid the kind of scenes we saw at Easter and half term,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Among the 22 measures the Department for Transport introduced on Thursday is a plan to give airlines a short window to hand back plane parking slots for the rest of the summer season.

This is aimed to help manage capacity at the busiest airports.

Earlier this month, around 5,000 people were hit by Heathrow cancellations because of technical issues affecting baggage.

Before that, tens of thousands of passengers had been affected by disruption at UK airports and flight cancellations during the week of the Platinum Jubilee and half-term holidays.

The disruption was caused by several factors, but staff shortages have left the aviation industry struggling to cope with resurgent demand.

Last week when Heathrow made a similar move, it was for a different reason – because of the knock-on impact of a technical problem with baggage.

This time, it’s linked to staffing; it realised more passengers were going to come through the airport the next morning than it has capacity for right now.

But why was the decision only announced on the afternoon of the day before?

The airport says it’s seeing increasing numbers of last-minute bookings following cancellations or disruption at other airports – and this is pushing up passenger demand. Thirteen percent more passengers were booked to fly today than Thursday last week.

Heathrow says it’s constantly talking to airlines, working with them to make sure the right amount of airline, airport and ground handling resources are in place to cope with the number of flights operating.

Gatwick has already announced it’s limiting flight numbers for July and August. Heathrow hasn’t done that, but points out that since Gatwick’s announcement, the government has announced a one-off “amnesty” on airport slot rules, and airlines are expected to use this to cut more flights to try to make schedules more resilient.

Source: BBC