One of the country's biggest holiday companies TUI is set to cancel nearly 190 flights over the next month due to the ‘ongoing disruption’ at Manchester Airport. The news will ruin plans for thousands of passengers who are jetting off around half-term and the Queens Jubilee.
The news follows a series of reports from travellers who are experiencing delays, cancellations and baggage issues as the airport continues to suffer through the busy times. It is expected that the airline will cancel six flights a day, or 43 a week starting from today (May 31) and it will last until June 30.
Despite the cancellations at Manchester Airport all other airports in the UK including Leeds Bradford Airport, will ‘operate as normal’ TUI have confirmed. The latest update comes amid ongoing stories of missing luggage, holidays being cancelled by text and mammoth flight delays at the airport, reports the MEN.
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Over the weekend police were drafted in to tell ‘hundreds’ of people who were waiting at their boarding gate that their flight to Kos had been cancelled after an eight-hour wait. TUI has issued a statement to confirm the changes.
In the statement it said the ‘sudden increase’ in people jetting off on holiday combined with ‘various operational and supply chain issues’ had impacted a ‘small number of flights’. With that Manchester Airport bosses had vowed to work with airlines and other handling agents experiencing difficulties with an urgent recruitment drive underway to resolve the ongoing issues for passengers.
Despite that TUI has now taken the decision to cancel flights from the schedule in a bid to manage the crisis. On Tuesday, the airport opened up about the 'issues' being faced by TUI, blaming the impact of 'temporary staff shortages' for both TUI and Swissport, on their check-in and baggage reclaim operations.
In a statement, TUI said: “ We would like to apologise to our customers who have experienced flight delays and cancellations in recent days and understand that many of our customers have been looking forward to their holiday with us for a long time. Due to the amount of on-going disruption in our operation at Manchester Airport, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to cancel six flights a day (43 flights a week), from Tuesday, May 31, until Thursday, June 30. All other airports in the UK are planned to operate as normal.
“We understand how disappointing this will be for those impacted; however, we believe this is necessary to provide stability and a better customer service at Manchester Airport. We will continue to work closely with all our airport partners and suppliers so we can provide the best possible holiday experience for our customers.”
The airline has also said that the customers affected will receive a full refund for their holiday as well as an ‘extra gesture of goodwill’. Customers impacted in the next 14 days will also receive information on how to apply for compensation in line with the current regulations.
It added: “We would like to reassure our customers that cancellations of this nature are extremely rare and would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
A spokesman from Manchester Airport said: “Over the last few days TUI and its appointed ground handler, Swissport, have experienced significant challenges with their check-in and baggage reclaim operations at Manchester Airport. From extensive discussions with the TUI and Swissport management teams, it is clear that they are experiencing temporary staff shortages, in common with other aviation and travel companies.
“Given these challenges, we understand TUI’s difficult decision to cancel a number of services over the course of the next month, although we are obviously disappointed to see passengers’ plans disrupted in this way. We will continue to work with TUI, Swissport and other partners to give passengers the best possible service as the travel sector builds back to full strength after the pandemic.
“In the meantime, we continue to advise passengers to arrive three hours before their flight and to be as prepared as they can be for their journey through the airport.”
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