LONDON- Flag carrier of the UK, British Airways (BA) faced severe disruptions this weekend, canceling over 160 flights and affecting an estimated 25,000 passengers during one of the year’s busiest travel periods.
The airline cited “adverse weather conditions in London” as the primary cause for Friday’s cancellations.
British Airways Cancels 100+ Flights
London Heathrow bore the brunt of the disruptions, with approximately 75% of Friday’s cancellations occurring at the airport. Popular holiday destinations such as Larnaca, Ibiza, and Mallorca saw their flights grounded, Independent UK reported.
London City Airport also experienced significant disruptions, with 22 cancellations including services to Barcelona, Florence, and Malaga.
The chaos continued into Saturday, with British Airways canceling at least 60 more flights to and from Heathrow. Barcelona, Dublin, and Rome were among the most affected routes, each seeing multiple cancellations. Mediterranean destinations like Athens, Ibiza, Naples, Palma, and Venice also experienced grounded flights.
Passengers faced additional frustrations as some previously delayed flights, such as a Heathrow to Hamburg service, were ultimately canceled on Saturday morning. The situation left many travelers stranded and scrambling to rearrange their plans.
Passengers’ Travel Plan Disrupted
Emma Lawton, a performer affected by the cancellations, expressed her frustration on social media. She reported receiving minimal notice of her flight’s cancellation, followed by confusing and inaccurate information about rebooking options.
Lawton, who was scheduled to give a talk in Madrid, found herself unable to secure alternative travel arrangements due to fully booked flights.
The high demand for flights between London and mainland Europe has resulted in fully booked alternative flights, complicating travel plans for affected customers.
One passenger’s experience highlights the severity of the situation. Her Friday afternoon flight from Marseille to Heathrow was canceled, followed by the cancellation of her rebooked later flight.
British Airways then arranged a complex itinerary for her, routing her through Frankfurt on a Lufthansa flight scheduled for Saturday, which would have delayed her arrival in London by 24 hours.
Notably, the airline failed to offer hotel accommodation, despite being required to do so under European air passengers’ rights regulations.
Faced with these challenges, the passenger opted to purchase a new ticket with Ryanair for a Friday evening flight. When attempting to request a refund from British Airways, she encountered further difficulties, spending almost an hour on hold with the airline’s customer service line.
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