Brits heading to Gatwick urged to check flight amidst delays and cancellations
Thousands of airline passengers are scrabbling to get home and secure a refund after their flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted last night due to a lack of air traffic control staff (ATC) at Gatwick Airport.
The airport confirmed a short notice staff absence in its ATC tower, managed by National Air Traffic Services (NATS), which meant 42 flights were cancelled or diverted while dozens more were heavily delayed on Thursday.
More than 6,000 passengers are likely to have been affected by cancellations, just two weeks after a NATS technical glitch caused widespread disruption at airports across the UK, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded overseas for several days.
The bad news for people caught up in the chaos last night is that they're unlikely to be due any compensation from their airline, as air traffic control problems are not considered their fault.
However, if your flight has been cancelled or delayed significantly for whatever reason, you should contact your travel company or airline directly to rearrange your flights. They have a legal duty to rearrange or refund your flight.
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Have you been caught up in the chaos? Email [email protected]
Thousands of customers were caught up in the chaos last night (Getty Images)If your flights can't be rearranged, or the new flights cause a "significant change" to your holiday, your travel company must offer you an alternative holiday or a full refund. A significant change is generally a delay of 12 hours or more on a 14-night holiday, according to trade association ABTA.
If the delay lasts more than five hours, but the service is not cancelled, passengers can generally opt not to travel but to claim a refund instead. It is unlikely that any of the people caught up in today's and yesterday's delays will be able to receive compensation in addition to the refund rights outlined above.
Coby Benson, flight delay solicitor at Bott and Co, previously told i: "Delays and cancellations caused by air traffic control restrictions are usually considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and therefore do not qualify for compensation."
Passengers also have the right to other means of travel or flights to the end destination in the event of cancellations and delays. If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport available, you have a right to be booked onto that instead.
Care and assistance must also be provided to passengers if they are delayed for a certain amount of time. This usually means food and drink, a refund for passengers' communications, as well as transport and accommodation if the delay is overnight.
This morning Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has called on NATS chief executive to resign, while easyJet said it is "very disappointed" its customers have been affected again. Mr O'Leary said: "It is unacceptable that more flights and hundreds of passengers are suffering delays to/from Gatwick Airport due to Nats CEO Martin Rolfe's blatant failure to adequately staff UK ATC.
"Airlines are paying millions of pounds to Nats each and every year and should not have to see their passengers suffer avoidable delays due to UK ATC staff shortages."
An easyJet spokesperson said: "We are very disappointed that customers are once again impacted by this and while this is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers. We are doing all possible to minimise the impact of the disruption, notifying those on cancelled flights of options to rebook or receive a refund and provided hotel accommodation and meals where required."
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership - a network of independent travel agents, said: "The situation at Gatwick is unacceptable. This kind of disruption causes havoc for travellers and has huge financial implications for airlines, travel agents and the entire ecosystem.
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"There needs to be an urgent inquiry into why there appears to be staff shortages in this crucial area, and measures implemented to stop these incidents occurring again."
PA news agency analysis of flight tracking data shows that first departure cancelled due to air traffic control restrictions was an easyJet flight to Berlin, due to take off at 5pm. Fourteen departures and 12 arrivals were cancelled at Gatwick on Thursday from that time.
A total of 16 arrivals were diverted to a range of airports: including Bournemouth, Cardiff, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted. Gatwick airport later said an additional air traffic controller was put in place and restrictions were reducing, allowing more aircraft to arrive and depart.
A spokesperson for NATS said: "Flights at London Gatwick are operating normally this morning. Air traffic control restrictions were put in place yesterday afternoon due to short notice staff absence affecting our air traffic control team at Gatwick Airport. We worked closely with the airport and airlines to minimise disruption. We apologise very sincerely to everyone who has been inconvenienced.
"We are working closely with Gatwick Airport Ltd to build resilience in the airport’s control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum. New air traffic controllers have been recruited since last summer, increasing our presence by 17%, and others are due to start after completing their training, in line with the agreed plan when NATS took over the contract last October.
"London Gatwick’s senior management understands that we are working hard to keep the operation moving. Airlines operating at London Gatwick were aware of the situation when NATS was appointed but that does not dilute the apology we offer sincerely to them and their passengers who have been inconvenienced by recent disruption."
The spokesperson would not say what caused the staff shortage. Gatwick airport apologised to affected passengers, urging them to contact their airlines for information.
The airport spokesperson said: "Nats are a world-class provider of air traffic services and London Gatwick's senior management recognises how hard the airport's air traffic controllers are working to keep the operation moving. We are working closely with Nats to build resilience in the airport's control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum."
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