British Airways and easyJet were both forced to cancel more flights today, thwarting plans by thousands of travelers to take off for the Easter holidays. Vacationers who have traded the sky for the sea are also upset. In anticipation of one of the busiest weekends of the year, DFDS Ferries has warned thousands of booked passengers with P&O Ferries that there will be no room for them on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. P&O Ferries suspended Dover-Calais on March 17 after telling nearly 800 crew members they had been fired immediately. P&O has told passengers they can be taken to DFDS services – which sail from the port of Kent to Calais and Dunkirk in northern France. However, DFDS wrote on Twitter: “DFDS is not available for P&O customers between April 8 00.01 and April 10 23.59. “Please do not proceed to port without confirmed booking, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.” Follow the latest updates below.
Basic points
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Airline passenger rights when a flight is canceled
Readers contact The Independent’s travel agency to inquire about their rights when a flight is canceled. “Graham From Bushey” asks: “My son is flying to Europe this Sunday with easyJet. He was told on Monday that his flight had been canceled early in the morning, but the noon flight had been booked again. Is he entitled to compensation? “ According to European rules on air passenger rights, which the UK has transposed into British law after Brexit, travelers whose flights are canceled within two weeks of departure are entitled to cash compensation of either £ 220 or £ 350 (depending on distance) for a trip within Europe. The only excuse airlines can use to evade payment is if the cancellation is due to “emergencies” – which do not involve staff shortages. Simon Calder6 April 2022 11:12 1649238703
Opportunities for very short getaways
Many airline tickets to favorite sunny spots soar in the run-up to the weekend. Tomorrow morning Ryanair flight from Stansted to Malaga sells for 4 334 λής one way – or 80 380 £ with 20kg of baggage and reserved seat. But Europe’s largest budget airline has some last minute travel opportunities on Thursday. From Edinburgh to Budapest, the one way fare is 23 £. A flight from Newcastle to Krakow in southern Poland costs £ 25. And the connection from London Stansted to Oslo for tomorrow is 46 £. The flight to the Norwegian capital serves the city’s main airport. (Simon Calder) Simon Calder6 April 2022 10:51 1649236815
Dublin Airport advises passengers to arrive three and a half hours before flights
After chaotic queues and what an Independent reporter described as a “massacre” at Dublin Airport in recent days, passengers are now being called in early for flights. Although the airport bosses say the situation has improved, they recommend that travelers arrive at the airport three and a half hours before their scheduled flight. “If you park a car, leave another 30 minutes,” the airport added. It means that some people are called to show up four hours earlier even if they catch a short distance flight. Helen Coffey6 April 2022 10:20 1649235634
Luxury for some lucky passengers in Heathrow-Dublin
Passengers on a pair of British Airways flights between London Heathrow and Dublin will enjoy unexpected comfort this afternoon. Following the brief cancellation of the London-Dublin-London switch this morning, BA is set to deploy a Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide-body fuselage to accommodate all passengers. British Airways Flight 836 will depart from Heathrow Terminal 5 at 1:10 p.m., arriving in the Irish capital 90 minutes later. After just 40 minutes on the ground in Dublin, the return service will depart at 3:20 p.m. and is scheduled to return to Heathrow at 4:45 p.m. Anyone who pays the return fare of 13 913 in business class will be entitled to a reclining bed. Even in economy class, the comfort of the Boeing seats is better than the short-haul Airbus A320 commonly used by BA on the road. Simon Calder6 April 2022 10:00 1649233044
British Airways and easyJet cancel more than 100 flights between them on Wednesday
British Airways has canceled 54 short-haul flights to and from its main hub, Heathrow, London. BA warned most passengers in advance, but there were cancellations during the day for Milan Linate and Dublin. Other media outlets reported 78 British Airways cancellations on Wednesday, but appeared to include flights that were removed from the system months ago, including connections to Moscow and Tokyo. EasyJet has fixed at least 58 departures to, from or within the UK, with its largest base, Gatwick, being most affected. Amsterdam and Milan have multiple cancellations. Simon Calder6 April 2022 09:17 1649232085
P&O Ferries passengers say DFDS will have no room for them this weekend
In anticipation of one of the busiest weekends of the year, DFDS Ferries has warned thousands of booked passengers with P&O Ferries that there will be no room for them on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. P&O Ferries suspended Dover-Calais on March 17 after telling nearly 800 crew members they had been fired immediately. P&O has told passengers they can be taken to DFDS services – which sail from the port of Kent to Calais and Dunkirk in northern France. However, DFDS wrote on Twitter: “DFDS is not available to P&O customers between 08 April 00:01 and 10 April 23:59. “Please do not proceed to port without confirmed booking, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.” Three large P&O Ferries are moored at the Dover Cruise Terminal, and would normally operate a busy shuttle service to Calais and back. Simon Calder6 April 2022 09:01 1649230702
Condolences to the departing CEO of Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport CEO Karen Smart has resigned after weeks of long queues for security reasons – with many passengers missing flights and departures delayed. But The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, says there are mitigating circumstances. In the Plane Talk column, he writes: “As an example of the term ‘ungrateful work’, I give you ‘almost any job at any airport’. “Social media, as always, thirsts for guilt – and Mrs. Smart has become the unlucky girl of the fall. But the chaos in aviation over the past two years, with one incoherent set of travel restrictions after another, has made winding trips either illegal or incredibly complicated. “Going from 100 percent to 5 percent of customers and returning to 80 or 90 percent over two years would be a challenge for any boss in any industry. I wish Karen Smart well in her next post and I trust that the project will bring her a worthy thank you “.
Who would run an airport?
Plane Talk: After weeks of travel chaos, Manchester Airport CEO resigns, writes Simon Calder Helen Coffey6 April 2022 08:38 1649230049
Good morning and welcome to The Independent liveblog, where we will publish all the latest travel updates throughout the day. Helen Coffey6 April 2022 08:27
title: “Airport Chaos Live Easter Breaks Disrupted As Ba And Easyjet Cancel More Than 100 Flights " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-03” author: “Timothy Disla”
British Airways and easyJet were forced to suspend more flights today, thwarting plans by thousands of travelers to take off for the Easter holidays. Vacationers who have traded the sky for the sea are also upset. In anticipation of one of the busiest weekends of the year, DFDS Ferries has warned thousands of booked passengers with P&O Ferries that there will be no room for them on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. P&O Ferries suspended Dover-Calais on March 17 after telling nearly 800 crew members they had been fired immediately. P&O has told passengers they can be taken to DFDS services – which sail from the port of Kent to Calais and Dunkirk in northern France. However, DFDS wrote on Twitter: “DFDS is not available for P&O customers between April 8 00.01 and April 10 23.59. “Please do not proceed to port without confirmed booking, contact P&O Ferries for alternative travel arrangements.” Follow the latest updates below.
Basic points
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The United Kingdom has canceled hundreds of more flights than other countries
Latest data from Cirium, the aviation analysis company, show that the United Kingdom is very much at the forefront of other European countries in terms of flight cancellations in recent days. Between March 28 and April 3, 681 flights departing from the United Kingdom were canceled, an increase of 428 percent year-on-year, compared with 341 cancellations from France (204 percent increase), 213 to Germany (69 percent increase). ) and 140 from Spain and the Canary Islands (an increase of 164 percent). Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultant The PC Agency, said: “The staff shortages caused by Covid and the lack of recruitment to meet the snapback of demand seem to be much worse in the UK than elsewhere. in Europe compared to the same period. in 2019, before the pandemic. “Leaders of British travel companies need to hire and train people as urgently as possible to make up for the shortfall of 200,000 employees, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.” Helen Coffey6 April 2022 16:13 1649255187
P&O Ferries has a relaunch plan – with free travel for travelers in difficulty
P&O Ferries, which sparked outrage on March 17 by firing its entire crew in the UK without warning, hopes to resume services on the Dover-Calais main line next week. A spokesman for the shipping company said: “As of this weekend, P&O Ferries is preparing to resume services on a number of vital routes. “P&O works closely with regulators to ensure that our ships are safe to sail. P&O is looking forward to welcoming vital services again. “We expect to have two of our ships ready to sail on the Dover-Calais route by next week, subject to regulatory notice, namely both the Pride of Kent and the Spirit of Britain between Dover-Calais.” They added that anyone interrupting their P&O trip “will also receive a free trip which will be used on a future trip with us, which may take place later in the year”. Simon Calder6 April 2022 15:26 1649253569
Aid for budget travelers as Emirates plans to return to London Stansted
The gradual restoration of pre-pandemic services by Emirates continues, with flights between London Stansted and Dubai returning from 1 August. During the first month, the departure of the Boeing 777 will take place five times a week, but this is done daily from September 1st. The connection to Essex Airport was cut off in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic began. The outgoing flight, code EK65, operates overnight – departs from Stansted at 21:10 and arrives in Dubai seven hours later at 7:10 am. local time. Returning to the UK, the EK068 will depart Dubai at 8.50am, arriving in Stansted at 13.30pm after a seven-hour, 40-minute flight. By October 2022, the airline will serve the United Kingdom with 110 weekly flights, including six times a day from Heathrow, London, three times a day from Manchester, twice a day from Birmingham and Gatwick, daily from London. Glasgow and five weekly flights from Newcastle. Edinburgh has not yet returned to the Emirates network. Richard Jewsbury, Emirates UK Vice President, said: “The UK is Emirates’s most important international market and bookings have continued to rise as travel restrictions have eased further.” Emirates also announced that flights from Dubai to Bali will resume on May 1. Stansted fares tend to be lower than those of Heathrow and Gatwick. In a test booking from London to Bali on November 1 for a fortnight, Stansted was £ 5 cheaper than Gatwick and £ 42 less than Heathrow. The lowest fare was 791. Return. Simon Calder6 April 2022 14:59 1649251216
Airport staff shortages fall to ‘abysmal wages’, travel expert claims
The staff shortages that have led to chaotic tents and long queues at UK airports this week are the result of “abysmal wages”, a travel expert has claimed. Rory Boland, travel author of Who ?, compared the hourly rate of jobs advertised in a budget supermarket with those of a check-in agent. “Lidl’s hourly rate is, 10.10 -, 12.25 G GGS,” he wrote on Twitter. “(Gatwick Ground Services), which manages British Airways / IAG, advertises for agents who pay 93 9.93. “Some airlines claim to have unique staffing problems. The only thing that is unique is the incredible salaries “. He added: “Airports, airlines and commentators appearing in the media claiming they can not attract staff should be challenged about the fees, terms and amount that shareholders earn in payments.” Helen Coffey6 April 2022 14:20 1649248181
Jet2 staff help Tui customers during weekend chaos, customer says
A passenger who faced the mess of arrivals at Manchester airport on Sunday told the Independent that Tui’s staff did little to help – but that two members of rival Jet2 airline staff intervened and helped some of Tui’s customers. “There was no staff available for Tui [customers’] luggage “, says the passenger who arrived at MAN on Sunday morning. “However, there were two Jet2 employees who were very helpful and who seemed to be collecting coupons and complaints about Tui customers. Praise be to them. “ Lucy Thackray6 April 2022 13:29 1649247482
EasyJet tells customers that soft drinks may not be available on the flight
“We are sorry to inform you that we can not guarantee that there will be soft drinks on your flight. We wanted to inform you so that you can make alternative arrangements before boarding your flight. “ This is the text message received by journalist Rebecca Hall and those aboard the easyJet flight earlier this afternoon. The message also reminds leaflets that they are not allowed to drink their own alcohol on flights. The Independent contacted easyJet for clarification on whether this is a negative impact of Covid staff shortages and absences. Lucy Thackray6 April 2022 13:18 1649245347
EasyJet cancels flights until the end of April
Britain’s biggest budget airline is sending another batch of cancellation notices for the end of April as funding problems continue. On April 25, for example, passengers on the night flight from London Gatwick to Prague will receive an email entitled “Significant changes in easyJet flight to Prague”. The “significant changes” turn out to be the cancellation of the flight. Passengers depart from departure at 18.25 on a route at 9 in the morning. If this is not appropriate, they are told, “You can take another flight for free.” Passengers can travel to any other departure on the route, regardless of price. Alternatively, travelers are offered a coupon, which would be unreasonable to accept, or a full refund. No compensation is paid because more than 14 days notice has been given. (Simon Calder) Simon Calder6 April 2022 12:42 1649243997
Piles of suitcases at Manchester airport after the travel mess
Photos of crowded, abandoned suitcases at Manchester Airport have emerged after days of slow queues and hours of luggage waiting. Many travelers complained that they had to leave their luggage at the airport after waiting two or three hours to unload their luggage from their flight. Passenger Perry Freeman told the Manchester Evening News that he had landed in Manchester on Friday, but only picked up his luggage on Monday afternoon – a day before his return journey. Lucy Thackray6 April 2022 12:19 1649241224
Spain is open to unvaccinated travelers
The UK’s most popular overseas nation, Spain, has opened up to unvaccinated British visitors with immediate effect. So far, only those who have a vaccination certificate or a Covid-19 certificate of recovery are accepted. However, the official government bulletin has expanded the range of eligible travelers from the UK to include non-gamblers who have taken the test before departure. It seems that cheap, fast lateral flow tests performed within 24 hours of departure to Spain will be acceptable. Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, called it a “step in the right direction.” Simon Calder6 April 2022 11:33 1649239978
Airline passenger rights when a flight is canceled
Readers contact The Independent’s travel agency to inquire about their rights when a flight is canceled. “Graham From Bushey” asks: “My son is flying to Europe this Sunday with easyJet. He was told on Monday that his flight had been canceled early in the morning, but the noon flight had been booked again. Is he entitled to compensation? “ According to European rules on air passenger rights, which the UK has transposed into British law after Brexit, travelers whose flights are canceled within two weeks of departure are entitled to cash compensation of either £ 220 or £ 350 (depending on distance) for a trip within Europe. The only excuse airlines can use to evade payment is if the cancellation is due to “emergencies” – which do not involve staff shortages. Simon Calder6 April 2022 11:12
