The Ryanair boss has warned that delays and cancelled flights will continue 'throughout summer', with shortages of airport staff being cited as the main cause of the issues.
Michael O’Leary, who is the chief executive of the budget airline, says that delays could last across the peak season and customers should prepare to receive a “less than satisfactory experience”. He also said that some airlines will cancel between 5% and 10% of flights.
Speaking to Sky News, he said this was 'deeply regrettable'. Mr O'Leary said: “This problem is going to continue particularly at airports like Gatwick and Heathrow right throughout the summer. It will be worse at weekends and better during the week.”
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Although 99% of Ryanair flights are getting away and the experience is so far better at its Stansted base than other UK airports, he admitted that it will be a “struggle through the summer”. The boss cited shortages of airport staff across air traffic control, baggage handling and security as the cause of the issues..
He added that Ryanair was not immune to the issues, with last weekend seeing 25% of its flights delayed by air traffic control issues and a further 15% by airports handling delays.
He said Brexit was compounding the disruption caused as demand ramps up after pandemic restrictions were lifted, with airports unable to hire workers from abroad to fill posts.
Mr O’Leary said: “There are hundreds of thousands of jobs in the UK that frankly British workers don’t want to do. These problems will not be resolved until we start allowing people in to do the jobs.”
On Monday, Heathrow asked airlines to cut 10% of flights at two terminals, while easyJet started cancelling thousands of summer flights.
