Family summer holidays have been plunged into jeopardy after easyJet cancelled multiple flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports due to “air traffic control restrictions”
Brits face summer holiday chaos after easyJet cancelled a spate of flights to and from the UK at short notice.
Holidays are now under threat for many – and some tourists even had to hastily rearrange plans after learning the news at the check-in desks at Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports.
EasyJet customers have contacted the Mirror in their droves tonight to share their frustration at how the move by the budget airline has impacted them. These include people returning to the UK, such as 70-year-old Carole Fuller, a solo traveller, who has been stranded in Bodrum, Turkey, having had her flight to Edinburgh scrapped at short notice.
Ann Thomas and her husband are stuck at Malaga Airport as their flight to Manchester Airport was axed – again due to “air traffic control problems”. EasyJet has been pressed by the Mirror tonight to offer more information about these issues.
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Another tourist scrambled to find her and her family an alternative flight home from Larnaca, Cyprus after their easyJet journey was scrapped. They claim other tourists have had to spend up to £1,500 on alternative flights back to the UK, though it is understood they’ve been told easyJet will eventually reimburse these costs.
Ms Fuller’s daughter, Rosie, told us her mother and fellow passengers were only informed their flight from Bodrum had been cancelled as they waited to board at the departure gate on Wednesday. She added: “Chaos ensured, there was not an easyJet rep in sight and unfortunately no staff present at that time of day who spoke English, lots of passengers were visibly upset and panicking about how they were getting home. After a time they were told they were all being taken to a hotel, two large coaches full of passengers. The hotel was 20 minutes away.”
“In the morning my mum met up with fellow travellers in the dining area and together they questioned reception about contacting the airport for further information- anything at all since they’d been left with no answer as to what was happening. As the day progressed they still heard nothing, other passengers began booking on to other flights, some to London Gatwick (easyJet) and others Jet2 into Glasgow both flights scheduled for June 27.”
Rosie has helped book her mum a flight for very late on Thursday night – but to Glasgow, around 50 miles from where she had hoped to be – Edinburgh. Rosie said it is essential, though, as her mother is running low on medication.
But Ms Thomas and her husband remain in limbo in the Costa del Sol. Ms Thomas told us they should have arrived at Manchester Airport by now but were told, at 6pm, their flight was axed.
“My husband has tried to book an alternative flight tomorrow evening on an app that could us a flight with Jet2. At first the price was £259 for two people. Now we have been informed that the price has increased to £461 each. How can this be,” Ms Thomas said.
“Now [we’re] told payment didn’t go through and [the flight is] no longer available. We have managed to rebook into the hotel we had been staying in. Waiting to hear what happens now.”
The Brit who faced difficulty leaving Larnaca scrambled onto a flight to East Midlands, more than 100 miles from their intended destination – Liverpool. She said she and her partner had to spend further money on an Uber to complete their trip to Merseyside. She added: “Some people have paid £1500 for alternative flights. It’s absolutely awful.”
A spokesperson for easyJet said: “Due to the impact of air traffic control restrictions in place across Europe, some flights yesterday evening and today have been unable to operate.
“We have been doing everything possible to minimise the impact for our customers, providing hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them as well as a refund or a transfer to an alternative flight and are advising customers they will be reimbursed for expenses should they need to make their own arrangements.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our highest priority and while this is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused.”
But the Mirror has approached the budget airline on further reports of stranded Brits in overseas countries, criticism of its communication and has asked for more details on the nature of the air traffic control difficulties.
It is believed air traffic control restrictions are often imposed by air traffic control providers to manage air traffic in a region for a variety of reasons, including adverse weather conditions.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
