Posted on June 25th, 2022

The number of daily flights will be cut to 825 in July and 850 in August, down from 900 in previous years.

It comes after the government and regulators wrote to airlines telling them to ensure their summer timetables were "deliverable".

Tens of thousands of passengers have been hit by cancellations and delays at UK airports in recent weeks.

Gatwick said it had taken the decision following a review of its operations, to help passengers "experience a more reliable and better standard of service".

The airport said it had recruited 400 new staff to help passengers through security checks this summer, and more new recruits would start soon.

But the airport's review found many companies at the airport still had a severe lack of staff and if the issue was not addressed, passengers could experience queues, delays and cancellations.

Why are so many flights being cancelled?

Stewart Wingate, the airport's chief executive, said that during the week of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, a number of companies operating at the airport struggled because of staff shortages.

EasyJet said it was "aware" of the capacity cap announced by Gatwick Airport and was "reviewing the details".

"We expect to be able to re-accommodate the majority of customers should their flight be affected by the cap," it said.

"We recognise the need for Gatwick Airport to do this... so all airlines can provide reliable services for their customers."

Ryanair said it "did not have any plans to cancel flights from Gatwick", adding: "Gatwick should be looking to the airlines who are already making mass cancellations across the UK for these cuts."

Meanwhile, Rory Boland from the consumer group Which? said that, while it may have been sensible to reduce flights now, "it certainly wasn't sensible to make this announcement without first agreeing with airlines which flights would be cancelled".

Travel expert Simon Calder told the BBC the "whole industry is stretched" - especially ground handlers and the airlines.

"This is all about avoiding the scenes of chaos at airports and actually making sure that, say, 95% of people are travelling," he said.

"Of course, that's unfair on the 5% who aren't," he added.

Other airports - including Luton, Liverpool, Birmingham, and the group that runs Manchester, Stansted, and East Midlands - told the BBC they had no plans to reduce their number of flights.

Heathrow has already worked with airlines to limit passenger numbers at the busiest times of day, with some flights rescheduled or cancelled. British Airways has cancelled 10% of its summer schedule.

Original article: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61835843