EasyJet blames widespread flight cancellations on ‘unprecedented’ air-traffic control disruption

Britain’s biggest budget airline is earning 24 per cent more for each seat than last year

Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet, is blaming “unprecedented ATC [air-traffic control] disruption” for the large number of flight cancellations it has made so far this summer.

Announcing improved profit figures for the three months from April to June, the carrier also said air-traffic control strike days were running 40 per cent of the last “normal” (pre-pandemic) year, 2019.

Last week, The Independent revealed that the airline had cancelled 1,700 flights to and from its main base, London Gatwick, in July, August and September.

Around 180,000 passengers with confirmed seats on the grounded departures were affected, with 300,000 seats taken out of the summer market.

The move was aimed to stabilise the operation. In the past few weeks, hundreds of easyJet flights have been cancelled to and from the Sussex airport, often late in the evening.

The problem became so significant that scammers moved in, harvesting passengers’ details on Twitter and attempting to defraud them.

The carrier’s chief executive, Johan Lundgren, said: “We are absolutely focused on mitigating the impact of the challenging external environment on our customers and flying them on their well-earned holidays.”

Average revenue per seat for the three months between April and June was 24 per cent higher than a year earlier, easyJet reported – rising from £46 to £57.

Mr Lundgren said around half of easyJet’s fares currently on sale were under £50.

“Despite the end of travel restrictions and fuel prices starting to drop, there are still major challenges on the horizon ahead for the airline industry, highlighted by easyJet’s recent decision to cancel 1,700 flights over July, August and September,” said Ruth Griffin, leisure partner at the law firm Gowling WLG.

“Restricted airspace over Ukraine due to the ongoing conflict is causing issues with flight routes, while the possibility of further air traffic control strikes in Europe will add to the turbulence being felt across the sector.”

A planned strike by staff working for easyJet’s Gatwick ground handler, DHL Supply, has been suspended while Unite union members are balloted on an improved pay offer.

Workers employed by three other ground handlers at Gatwick are still threatening to strike from 28 July.