Airlines slash 290,000 seats from August Bank Holiday flights due to staff shortages

Airlines have slashed nearly 290,000 spaces on flights serving UK airports over the August Bank Holiday, new analysis revealed. 

Aviation data company Cirium said around 900 inbound and 900 outbound flights have been cancelled, meaning the total number of seats is approximately 288,000 fewer than planned. 

Most of the cancellations are down to the ongoing staff recruitment crisis that has affected airports throughout the UK since the pandemic, leading to caps on operations at airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick. 

The staff shortages disrupted the plans of millions of holidaymakers this summer and spiked a rise in air fares.  

Now plans for travels over the bank holiday – between Friday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 30 – could be in jeopardy. 

Airlines have slashed nearly 290,000 spaces on flights serving UK airports over the August Bank Holiday, new analysis revealed. Picture: file image

The number of outbound flights over the August Bank Holiday period is 21 per cent below 2019 levels. 

British Airways has made the largest cut since July 1, with nearly 380 departures scrapped.

Flybe has removed more than 130 outbound flights from its schedules while easyJet has axed around 90 flights.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: ‘It’s astonishing to see over a quarter of a million seats cut from flight schedules, at a time when demand to fly remains high.

‘Some UK airports are continuing to impose caps on the numbers departing, so disrupting travel plans and forcing seat prices higher due to the squeeze on availability.

‘Our aviation sector should be growing strongly on one of the busiest weekends of the year, and not held back by staff shortages and poor planning by airports and ground handlers.

Plans for travels over the bank holiday – between Friday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 30 – could be in jeopardy. Picture: file image of Heathrow Terminal 5

‘There are aircraft ready to be used but not enough people to get them prepared and off the ground.’

The latest cuts follow news that holiday plans for October half term and even the Christmas holidays could be at risk, after Heathrow airport extended its passenger cap to the end of October.  

The cap was set to end on September 11 but will now last to October 29. 

Passengers face having holidays cancelled, departure dates moved or flights shifted to other airports.