Trapped abroad in flights chaos

Backlog will ‘take days’

THOUSANDS of stranded holidaymakers face a race against time to get back over fears a backlog of flights could take days to clear.

Yesterday a further 37 flights were axed by easyJet with destinations such as Madrid, Milan and Malta affected.

BA also grounded more than 100 short-haul flights from Heathrow, although the airline stressed affected passengers were given advance notice.

TUI said last week it was cancelling six flights a day from Manchester.

Airlines blamed staff shortages, with the ensuing disruption leaving many children and teachers stuck as schools return and the exam season begins.

Experts say it could take three days to clear the backlog amid fears the impact could be felt into the school summer holidays next month.

Advantage Travel Partnership, a travel agents’ network, said 30% of calls to members concerned future bookings.

And Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, which represents those working in aviation, said: “It would be difficult to give anybody the confidence at the present minute that we are going to be OK by the school holidays in July.”

Aviation data firm Cirium found 305 flights departing the UK were cancelled out of 10,662 scheduled flights over the Jubilee weekend, 114 on Sunday. One pupil, Ben, 17, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, was due home from Paris on Saturday before GCSE maths today.

After a scramble for train tickets, mum Emma, who did not want to use their full names, said: “Hopefully he’ll get there. But there’s no guarantee.”

Matt Wheeler, 37, a train driver from Nottingham, said he and his partner had to make emergency childcare arrangements after their easyJet flight from Amsterdam was axed yesterday.

He said: “It’s a farce – no easyJet staff or any staff that could help us.”

Stephen Ibbotson, and wife Sue, both 70, of Doncaster, South Yorks, said Wizz Air told them to rebook from Malaga to UK airports 150 miles away.

The retired insurance broker said: “I’ve managed to book a return flight to Gatwick on Sunday but it’s getting back from there that will be a problem.”

Paul Charles, of consultancy The PC Agency, said: “We’re seeing the impact of the weekend’s cancellations with knock-on effects for tens of thousands.”

Wizz Air said: “Every airline is doing as much as we all can to help,” while easyJet added: “We fully understand the disruption this will have caused.”

Meanwhile, Tube strikes caused gridlock in London. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union held a 24-hour walkout over jobs and pensions.