Airports have come under fire for chaos this summer which saw thousands of holidays disrupted and huge queues at regular feature.
Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents aviation companies across the Continent, has pointed the figure of blame for the chaos at airports.
The lobbying organisation has argued that airlines are dependent on the travel hubs to run smoothly, and has said that they've been let down this summer.
From May to August airports across the UK and Europe struggled to cope with demand soaring post- Covid lockdown. There were various factors that came into play, although one key challenge came due to staff shortages, with airports having cut their workforces during the pandemic.
Manchester and Heathrow airports were among some of the worst affected domestically, with immense queues for check-in and security a common occurrence at both.
Thomas Reynaert, managing director of A4E, told a conference in Brussels that airlines were doing their best to avoid future chaos, the Independent reported.
“Too often over the summer, airlines have had additional challenges arise because of failings at airports, insufficient staff at ground handlers and ATC [air-traffic control] strikes," he said.
“Often these issues arise at very short notice, making it difficult for airlines to adapt."
Mr Reynaert added: “We expect others to continue to engage positively and proactively as well to ensure we do not see the chaos of summer 2022 repeated.”
He went on to criticise caps on passenger numbers imposed by airports which have been designed to control the number of flights arriving and leaving, to calm the chaos.
It was reported earlier this week that Heathrow's 100,000 a day passenger cap would be lifted at the end of October.
That means an extra 4,000 seats a day will come into and out of the travel hub on average.
The move was originally brought in to limit queues, baggage delays and flight cancellations after many passengers endured torrid times and lengthy waits at the airport.
According to Heathrow's numbers, 4,000 fewer people were flying into and out of the airport each day because of the cap.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: "We took necessary action in July to introduce a temporary capacity cap which has since been extended through to the end of October.
"This cap resulted in fewer last-minute cancellations, better punctuality and shorter waits for bags.
"Our focus has always been on removing the cap as quickly as possible – but we will only do so if we are confident that adding in more passengers will not erode the service levels that the cap has secured.
"We continue to work with all of our airline partners ahead of the winter season to ensure a smooth operation for our passengers.”
