Around 13,000 flights have been cancelled globally this May, leading to two million fewer seats, according to aviation analyst Cirium. However, the vast majority of trips from the UK are expected to go ahead as normal. Here are the key questions and answers.
Are claims of 13,000 flights being cancelled correct?
Yes, but this is a global figure representing only a 1.5 per cent reduction in capacity. The cancellations are driven by high aviation fuel prices, not shortages. Carriers like Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines are grounding planes because it is cheaper than flying them. Lufthansa has cancelled some UK operations, but this simply means rerouting passengers from Glasgow to Frankfurt via Edinburgh instead. At Heathrow, just over 100 flights have been cancelled, mainly planned routes to the Gulf region whose resumption dates are being extended.
What are your rights if a flight is cancelled?
Under air passengers' rights rules, travellers departing from the UK or EU, or flying on British or European airlines from anywhere, are entitled to be rebooked on the earliest available flight on any airline, and to receive meals and accommodation if delayed. For example, two summer flights were cancelled for one traveller: London City to Guernsey (switched to Gatwick) and Bucharest to Luton. In both cases, replacement flights were available at similar prices, so a refund was taken. However, if fares had been higher, the cancelling carrier could have been required to buy a fresh ticket.
Should holidaymakers be worried?
Not according to UK airlines. Jet2, easyJet, and Wizz Air UK have stated they see no reason for planned flights not to go ahead. Any cancellations are purely commercial, as high fuel prices make some routes unprofitable. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, told The Independent's travel podcast: 'It’s very clear from the UK government and UK airlines that there is no shortage of fuel as we stand. Flights will be operating and people can look forward to traveling this summer.' Airlines can also 'tanker' fuel from abroad; Wizz Air has contingency plans to fill aircraft tanks before flying to UK airports, avoiding refuelling in Britain.
What about long-haul flights?
There is a straightforward fix: using refuelling 'pitstops' along the journey. This has been done before, including when a fire reduced fuel supplies at Heathrow and flights to Australia paused at Stansted. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has suggested suspending the 'use it or lose it' rule for airport slots to conserve fuel, allowing airlines to consolidate flights.
Could holiday flights be prioritised over business flights?
Yes. July and August are peak leisure months but quiet for business travel. Cancelling a few Heathrow to Frankfurt flights has less emotional and financial impact than grounding a Manchester to Skiathos or Edinburgh to Crete departure, where flights are not daily and offer little flexibility.
So no big worries?
Unlikely. In 2022, after Covid, airlines like British Airways and easyJet cancelled tens of thousands of flights due to staff shortages. That scale is not expected now. Problems from the EU entry-exit system are considered a higher risk. Overall, holidaymakers should not panic, as the vast majority of summer flights are expected to operate normally.
