EasyJet has moved to minimise disruption for passengers. EPA
EasyJet has moved to minimise disruption for passengers. EPA
EasyJet has moved to minimise disruption for passengers. EPA
EasyJet has moved to minimise disruption for passengers. EPA

Summer travel disrupted as EasyJet cancels 1,700 flights


Marwa Hassan
  • English
  • Arabic

EasyJet has announced the cancellation of 1,700 flights scheduled between July and September, the majority of which are to and from Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, England.

The airline, headquartered at London Luton Airport, blamed the cancellations on various air-traffic control issues, such as strikes and airspace closures associated with the conflict in Ukraine.

The move is expected to affect more than 180,000 passengers, especially at Gatwick.

The most significant disruption is expected on Fridays and at weekends.

Eurocontrol, the body in charge of managing European airspace, has warned the airlines' demand “might get close to capacity” for air-traffic control (ATC) across extensive parts of Europe, encompassing London, Brussels and Madrid.

The escalating issues surrounding air traffic control are anticipated to be one of the major challenges airlines face this summer.

EasyJet said: “As Eurocontrol has stated, the whole industry is seeing challenging conditions this summer with more constrained airspace due to the war in Ukraine resulting in unprecedented ATC delays, as well as further potential ATC strike action.”

The airline insisted the cancellations were not tied to staff shortages.

EasyJet said it was consolidating a small number of flights at Gatwick, with the aim of minimise problems for customers on the day of their journey.

The airline is informing affected customers, stating that 95 per cent of them are being rebooked on alternative flights.

All customers are given the option to rebook or receive a refund.

EasyJet apologised for any inconvenience.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said UK airport infrastructure, along with continuing personnel shortages at airlines and ground handlers, is ill-equipped to cope with the growing summer demand.

He urged airlines to improve their planning and delivery to avoid disappointing customers at short notice.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, expressed her sympathy for those affected by the latest cancellations.

Many of those affected by the cancellations have been rebooked on to alternative flights, easyJet said. Bloomberg
Many of those affected by the cancellations have been rebooked on to alternative flights, easyJet said. Bloomberg

She emphasised that the cancellations represent only “a small percentage of total summer departures”, with many set to continue as planned.

However, she stressed the need for airlines to minimise disruption to maintain consumer confidence in the travel industry.

Meanwhile, easyJet's shares remained stable in Monday's trading.

European summer of disruptions

European summer travel may be severely disrupted due to the possibility of French air-traffic controllers going on strike. The protest action, a response to President Emmanuel Macron's proposed pension reforms, have already caused a great deal of disruption in the first half of the year, affecting millions of passengers with thousands of flight cancellations and delays.

France, a major hub in the European air-traffic control system, tweaked its Minimum Service Laws last year, allowing authorities to prioritise flights from its territory. This potentially jeopardises overflights when cancellations are ordered. Experts predict this situation poses a significant threat, especially for popular summer holiday routes like UK/Ireland to Spain and Portugal.

The strikes' impact extends beyond France, causing delays and cancellations in neighbouring countries. It's reported that a third of all European flights were affected during the French protest action in March and April. The knock-on delays and additional CO2 emissions due to rerouting of flights further add to the challenge.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)

Engine 5.2-litre V10

Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch

Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm

Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est) 

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers

1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60

Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000

Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder

Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm

Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 575bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh554,000

On sale: now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic

Power: 169bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh54,500

On sale: now

The five pillars of Islam
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

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Updated: July 10, 2023, 1:21 PM`