By Andre De Oliveira Ferreira, Ginevra Sesti, Claudette Niles, Henri Nanushi and Omotunde Sotuminu
Holidaymakers in north London are concerned about flight cancellations this summer.
Jon Bruce, a 47-year-old occupational therapist from Tottenham, is hoping to travel to Malaga in Spain with his family this August.
“I am very stressed about it. I have heard that more flight delays and cancellations are expected this summer due to labour issues and a shortage of staff,” he said.
Like many other families, he is now reviewing his summer holiday plans this year due to what has been happening in the airline industry.
Speaking to CNN Traveller, Nicky Kelvin, head of The Points Guy UK travel advice website, said: “Staff shortages have been the main culprit of flight cancellations and delays after the air-travel industry laid off thousands of workers during the pandemic, many of which have gone on to find jobs in other industries for better pay and more sociable hours.”
Now, threatened industrial action could make the situation worse. Seven hundred British Airways check-in and ground staff have voted to strike. The GMB union says the 10% pay cut imposed during the pandemic remains, while other BA workers have been given a 10% bonus.
Passengers are being given the option of rebooking or receiving a refund. However, this is not what they were expecting to hear when they were planning their cherished summer holidays.
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