'Nobody will judge you for giving up on summer after more grim holiday news'

14 July 2023 , 13:13

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'Nobody will judge you for giving up on summer after more grim holiday news'

Seriously, it’s time to consider staying in bed all day on a Friday, pulling up the covers and hiding away from the inevitable bad holiday news. Almost every Friday morning lately, there seems to be an announcement of yet another dagger to the heart of the long-suffering British holidaymaker.

As if some evil spirit that does not like holidays is saying: "Here’s something for the weekend, folks - another dose of lousy travel news to spoil your day and potentially cause massive inconvenience and stress."

And poor old passengers at Gatwick airport - the UK’s second-busiest - seem to be in the firing line.

We’ve had a tsunami of grim getaway news recently: hundreds of easyJet flight cancellations and the risk of airline chaos caused by threatened major air traffic control strikes in Europe this summer.

easyJet planes at the North terminal gates inside Gatwick Airport. (In Pictures via Getty Images)

Another bleak announcement adds eight days of strikes by nearly 1,000 Unite workers at Gatwick, including ground handlers, baggage handlers and check-in desk staff.

Eight remote and beautiful but brutal jobs if you want to leave it all behind

Of course, they are timed to hit when it hurts most at the start of the main England and Wales school summer holidays, with the potential to cause anxiety and misery for hundreds of thousands of hard-working families who just want to go on a much-needed sunshine break.

Of course, they are timed to run across weekends when the majority of holidaymakers travel. Of course, they will affect Gatwick’s key leisure carriers - easyJet, Ryanair, TUI and British Airways.

Workers are perfectly entitled to withdraw their labour and strike over pay and conditions, but why is it so often the poor old traveling British public which is the soft target?

Brits could be facing more chaos this summer (Getty Images)

So, what can you do? Sadly, right now, not an awful lot if you have booked your trip.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best - ie that the disputes with employers are resolved and the strikes are called off. If they go ahead, then airlines and tour operators must do their level best to assist their passengers and play by the rules if there are delays and/or cancellations. It's all about customer service and communication when things go wrong.

If you are yet to book a summer holiday, I’d suggest choosing a package holiday with ATOL protection and always take out suitable travel insurance right away, making sure your policy covers flight cancellations or delays and any out-of-pocket expenses.

Alternatively, if you have not yet booked, you could consider a great value no-fly cruise or a good old staycation in our own lovely islands.

Or you could just throw in the beach towel, give up and stay in bed. Nobody will judge you.

Nigel Thompson