Passengers 'in tears' as more Gatwick flights cancelled

The airport has been one of the worst affected by a string of cancellations from airlines due to staff shortages.

Diego Garcia Rodriguez, 32, from Brighton said passengers at Gatwick today were left in tears after more flights were cancelled.

He said: “I’m flying from Gatwick to Barcelona and I was at the airport three hours before but almost didn’t make it to board.

“The flight hasn’t been delayed so far, but I have seen lots of people whose flights have been cancelled, some crying and stressing out, and they only got the news after having gone through the security control, so they didn’t know how to get out.

“There was no information and it was all very chaotic.”

Holidaymakers have been caught at long queues at Gatwick Airport: credit - Diego Garcia Rodrigez

Thousands more holidaymakers have seen their travel plans thrown in disarray across the country as the airline industry struggles to cope, with EasyJet cancelling at least 35 flights today alone.

Travel agents have been inundated with telephone calls from customers worried that their summer holidays will be disrupted.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership - which represents independent travel agents, said: “About 30 per cent of all calls that they are receiving now are from customers that are reading the headlines, have bookings for July and August in the school holidays, and they are worried.”

She said that the situation for holidaymakers has been “hideous and disappointing”, but travel agents have attempted to reassure customers that “in the vast majority of cases flights are departing and arriving”.

“We’re trying to give a bit of perspective,” she said.

Many holidaymakers have also been stranded overseas by flight cancellations, with some struggling to find temporary accommodation while they wait to return to the UK.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said he will “do absolutely everything possible to make sure” airline customers are able to get away without issues during the summer, but has stopped short of allowing a temporary migration influx to bridge the labour shortage.