The British airline easyJet has cut its flight schedule by 2% for this summer, affecting 180,000 customers, due to air traffic control problems in Europe.
The tourism sector is on high alert and fears more disruptions this summer after last year, during which staff shortages forced airlines to cancel some flights.
This year Eurocontrol, which manages Europe’s airspace, warned that air traffic control could pose a problem.
Mainly from London
EasyJet, the UK’s biggest airline by passenger numbers, said on Monday that by canceling now it could avoid last-minute cancellations, which are more expensive and more painful for passengers.
EasyJet said it had sufficient crew and pilots, but concerns about air traffic led it to cancel 1,700 flights, mostly from London’s Gatwick airport, out of 90,000 scheduled for the rest of July and August.
The company specified that 95% of the affected passengers had already been booked on another flight.
Staffing issues at some air traffic control centers and social unrest can lead to same-day cancellations.
Source: BFM TV
