The government has fired a warning shot to airports and airlines over “completely unacceptable” disruption ahead of the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday travel rush.
Ministers have been urged to intervene to prevent trips being ruined as airports and airlines continue to struggle to cope with a sharp increase in demand.
But a government source blamed the aviation sector following a raft of delays and cancelled flights by the likes of easyJet and Tui Airways.
“The sudden cancellations of flights and airport delays are completely unacceptable,” the source told The Times.
“The simple fact is that airlines and airports overcut staff during the pandemic, ignoring the fact that the billions of pounds of aid – including furlough – handed out by the government was meant to protect those very jobs.
“Operators are now struggling to meet increasingly busy schedules as we move towards the first Covid-free summer since 2019 – a wholly foreseeable surge in bookings that should have been adequately prepared for.
“The responsibility for maintaining adequate staffing levels lies with the airlines and airports themselves. Not only are they causing huge frustration to their customers, they are missing out on the benefits of the strong recovery in foreign travel.”
A series of flight cancellations and delays on Sunday and yesterday led to long queues at some airports, including Bristol, Manchester and Gatwick.
Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Sarah Olney urged ministers “to get a grip”, adding: “Britain’s airports are a complete and utter shambles. It’s clear that both the airlines and government have failed.”
In advice to passengers, Manchester airport said: “As we continue to recover from the pandemic and passenger numbers grow, security queues may be longer than usual at times.
“Our colleagues are working tirelessly to process passengers as quickly as possible and we apologise to anyone impacted by recent disruption.
“In order to help make your journey as smooth as possible, we urge all customers travelling over the coming weeks to play their part by arriving at the airport at the earliest time your airline asks you to, which is usually three hours before your flight.
“Passengers who turn up too far in advance may have to wait before check-in opens.”
Consumer group Which? called on the government to work with airlines, airports and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure carriers are offering re-routing options with others and to do all they can to get passengers to their destinations.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “Unacceptably long queues and widespread chaos at airports are causing huge amounts of stress to those who have planned to get away this half-term and bank holiday weekend.
“The situation requires an immediate response and the government must work with airlines and airports to ensure they have the resources and capacity to put an end to the last-minute flight cancellations and disruption we are seeing.
“When their flight is cancelled, all most passengers want is to be put on another plane and taken to their destination.
“The Civil Aviation Authority should remind airlines of their duty to offer passengers the option of rebooking on any reasonable route as quickly as possible – even if that means using other carriers. Too often this legal requirement is not being met.
“The fiasco of domestic and international flight cancellations shows why consumer travel protections must be strengthened, not weakened.
“The Department for Transport should shelve its plans to water down passengers’ rights to compensation when their UK flight is delayed or cancelled, and give the CAA fining powers so they can take swift action when airlines flout the rules.”
Meanwhile, the Irish government instructed Dublin Airport Authority to return with solutions “to deliver an acceptable passenger experience” that can be put in place ahead of the June 6 bank holiday weekend in Ireland.
Ministers expressed their “deep unhappiness” and asked the airport to consider all options that could be taken in the immediate and medium terms to resolve the issue after 1,000 passengers missed flights on Sunday due to lengthy queues.