Holidaymakers heading to Cyprus this summer have been warned their breaks could be hit by further expected chaos at UK airports. More than 1,000 flights to and from the island were affected last month - with fears of more problems to come.
Airline passengers have suffered widespread cancellations and long queues at airports for several months. The aviation industry is desperately trying to recruit more workers, but there are fears the chaos could continue during the peak summer holiday period in July and August.
While officials at the Cyprus hotel owner's association said they had not yet received reports of a knock-on effect on those industry, they "cautioned that issues may arise unless the situation is swiftly remedied", the Cyprus Mail reports. It warned delays and cancellations from British flights "could spell disaster for Cyprus’ tourism industry" - with arrivals from the UK expected to reach one million this year.
It comes as travel agents are being inundated with telephone calls from customers worried that their summer holidays will be disrupted as flight chaos continues. Thousands more airline passengers saw their travel plans thrown into disarray on Tuesday as the sector struggles to cope with staff shortages.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, which represents independent travel agents, said its members are receiving “a significant number of calls” from concerned customers. She told the PA news agency: “About 30% of all calls that they’re receiving now are from customers that are reading the headlines, have bookings for July and August in the school holidays, and they are worried.”
Ms Bue-Said acknowledged that the situation is “hideous and disappointing” for passengers whose flights are being cancelled. But she said travel agents are attempting to reassure customers that “in the vast majority of cases flights are departing and arriving”.
EasyJet axed at least 35 flights on Tuesday, with Gatwick the worst affected airport. Hungarian carrier Wizz Air scrapped at least seven flights due to serve UK airports. British Airways cancelled 124 Heathrow flights, although the airline said affected passengers were given advance notice.
