- British Airways will cancel 1,500 more flights in the coming weeks.
- Airlines struggling to cope with disruption and staff shortages that have hit the travel industry.
- BA was understaffed as a result of a reduction of around 10,000 employees during the pandemic; also impacted by broader resourcing challenges.
British Airways will cancel 1,500 more flights in the coming weeks as it struggles to cope with the disruption and staff shortages that have hit the travel industry this summer.
The airline announced on Tuesday that it would reduce its summer flight schedule further due to the “most trying era in the history” of the aviation industry.
In an effort to improve operational reliability, British Airways announced in May that it would decrease 10% of its flights during the summer season, which runs from March to October.
The airline has chosen to reduce its flight schedule by an additional 1 percent, or approximately 1,500 flights, the majority of which will be eliminated this month.
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According to a source familiar with the airline’s plans, BA is also evaluating whether to eliminate additional flights following the UK government’s amnesty on harsh restrictions that require carriers to use or lose their valuable take-off and landing slots.
By canceling flights in advance, British Airways (BA) seeks to avoid the last-minute disruptions that plagued certain airlines in the United Kingdom during the school half-term last month, which led to chaotic scenes as many customers learned of cancellations upon arrival at the airport.
The airline is understaffed as a result of a reduction of around 10,000 employees during the pandemic but has also been impacted by the broader resourcing challenges affecting the whole industry, including airports, subcontracted ground handlers, and air traffic control personnel.
