Easyjet axes further 25 bank holiday flights between UK and Portugal

Posted on : August 26, 2022

Easyjet axes another 25 August Bank Holiday flights between UK and Portugal hitting 4,500 passengers as airline blames striking ground staff

  • EasyJet has cancelled a further 25 flights between August 26 and August 30
  • Around 4,500 passengers wanting to travel to and from Lisbon will be affected 
  • The airline blamed industrial action at Portuguese airports for the disruption
  • It said passengers would not get compensation as it is ‘outside’ its control

EasyJet has axed more than 25 flights due to fly between the UK and Lisbon over the August Bank Holiday weekend in a move that will hit a further 4,500 passengers. 

The airline blamed striking ground staff at Portuguese airports for the disruption.

It added that passengers would not qualify for compensation as the chaos is ‘outside of their control’. 

The cancellations follow news that airlines have slashed 290,000 spaces on flights serving UK airports over the bank holiday from Friday, August 26 to Tuesday, August 30.

Staff shortages disrupted the plans of millions of holidaymakers this summer, as travellers experienced cancelled flights, lost baggage and significant delays.  

EasyJet has axed more than 25 flights due to fly between the UK and Lisbon over the August Bank Holiday weekend in a move that will hit a further 4,500 passengers. Picture: file image

This is set to continue over the weekend – on days that are expected to be some of the busiest so far this summer. 

EasyJet announced the cancellations yesterday evening and this morning, saying those affected from Gatwick Airport include four today, two on Saturday and four on Sunday. 

Meanwhile Luton will see seven round-trips to the Portuguese capital cancelled and Manchester will have one axed. 

Flights from other airlines to Lisbon and those to Faro, the main holiday airport, appear unaffected. 

Holidaymakers who have their flights cancelled are entitled to be flown out on the same day on any airline that has space – but these are expected to be limited over the bank holiday. 

EasyJet announced the cancellations yesterday evening and this morning, saying those from Gatwick Airport include four today, two on Saturday and four on Sunday. Meanwhile Luton will see seven round-trips to the Portuguese capital cancelled and Manchester will have one axed

Aviation data company Cirium said a total of approximately 288,000 seats have been slashed on airlines over the bank holiday – mainly due to the ongoing staff recruitment crisis at UK airports. 

Now plans for travels over the bank holiday – between Friday, August 26 and Tuesday, August 30 – are in jeopardy too.

The number of outbound flights over the August Bank Holiday period is 21 per cent below 2019 levels.

Staff shortages disrupted the plans of millions of holidaymakers this summer, as travellers experienced cancelled flights, lost baggage and significant delays. Picture: file image of Gatwick Airport, North Terminal

British Airways has made the largest cut since July 1, with nearly 380 departures scrapped, while Flybe has removed more than 130 outbound flights.

The latest cuts follow news that holiday plans for October half term and even the Christmas holidays could be at risk, after Heathrow airport extended its passenger cap to the end of October.

The cap was set to end on September 11 but will now last to October 29.

MailOnline has contacted EasyJet for comment. 

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