London’s Gatwick Airport announced on Monday that it would be forced to cancel more than 160 flights until Sunday due to an exceptional shortage of controllers, particularly due to Covid-19 cases.
The number of flights will be limited “to 800 per day” (on departure and arrival) and this “until Saturday, October 1,” the airport said in a statement, which states that the decision was made in agreement with NATS. the British company. air traffic control authority.
This daily limit “will help avoid last-minute cancellations and delays for passengers while NATS resolves issues related to sick leave and staffing limitations,” the press release details.
Precautionary measures
“It has been a difficult decision, but the action we are taking today (Monday) means airlines will be able to fly a reliable flight schedule,” said Stewart Wingate, director of London Gatwick, London’s second largest airport behind Heathrow. . .
These difficulties affecting the British air traffic control authority arise after a gigantic breakdown at the end of August that caused the cancellation of nearly 2,000 flights in two days and numerous delays.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had announced an independent investigation into “the wider issues surrounding the system failure and the way in which NATS responded to the incident”.
Source: BFM TV
