Gatwick to cancel hundreds of flights over staff shortages

UK airlines will be forced to cancel hundred of flights this summer after London’s Gatwick airport announced plans to limit its operations because of continuing staff shortages plaguing the transport sector. The UK’s second-busiest airport said on Friday it would cut the number of flights airlines can run to 825 per day in July and 850 in August, down from the 900 that Gatwick was planning to operate on peak days in August. “Airlines will have to trim back their schedules somewhat,” said Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s CE. He said the decision was down to a lack of staff at airlines and in particular ground handlers, subcontracted through third-party companies to perform tasks from check-in to baggage handling. Wingate said the decision would allow airlines and passengers to plan in advance and cut out last-minute flight cancellations. “Everybody gets more certainty. They can at least have confidence in July and August that flights will operate,” Wingate said. EasyJet, Gatwick’s biggest airline, will inevitably suffer the most disruption but said it supported the actions and “expected to be able to reaccommodate the majority of customers”. Gatwick’s decision to scale back its operations represented more evidence that the aviation industry would not be able to carry as many passengers as promised this summer, following widespread labour shortages across the industry supply chain. The move came after ministers told airports and airlines to get a grip on the short-notice cancellations that have hit thousands of flights this year, and to remove flights from their schedules in advance rather than hit passengers with on-the-day changes.<br/>