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UK: More flights canceled amid Easter getaway boom, limited resources

Date: April 12, 2022 Meghna Singh Meghna Singh
UK: More flights canceled amid Easter getaway boom, limited resources 
More flights in the UK are reportedly being canceled as airports and airlines struggle to manage the high passenger volumes ahead of the Easter holiday, which saw an increase in bookings, leading to long delays during the holiday period. 



British Airways had to cancel around 64 domestic/European flights to or from the London Heathrow airport, while EasyJet canceled around 25 flights to or from Gatwick airport. Passengers had been warned in advance about the cancellations, with EasyJet also offering customers the option rebook their journey via alternative flights.



At some UK airports, long queues have started to form over the last week as many families were traveling overseas, often for the first time since the onset of travel restrictions, for Easter. Many are making the most of their freedom by cashing in the vouchers from their trips that were canceled due to Covid.



London Heathrow, a major International British airport, stated that the number of passengers in March was the highest since the start of the pandemic as the UK became the first country to remove all travel restrictions last month.



The airport admitted that resources were stretched as the aviation sector has been working on rebuilding capacity for summer peak, but it is working with ground handlers and airlines to ensure that this surge in demand is handled, while also ensuring passenger safety.



Last month, Heathrow embarked on a recruitment drive to prepare for the travel boom as it would become significantly busier than the pre-pandemic period due to the added pre-departure checks.



As international markets still require coronavirus checks, such as testing, vaccinations status, and quarantine, congestion is particularly seen at check-in areas during peak times.



The airport has advised passengers to check with their airline when they should arrive at the airport.



Heathrow is also working with Border Force for making sure that enough resources are deployed to cope with the surged number of passengers, especially for the summer crowd, over the next few weeks.



Source credit: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/11/heathrow-airport-stretched-amid-busiest-period-since-pandemic-started

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Meghna Singh

An English Literature graduate, Meghna Singh ventured into the profession of content development to incorporate her knack for writing articles across verticals including technology, healthcare, business, and alike for News Origins and Newsorigins. She has also completed her MBA in Tourism and worked as a content creator in the field of product development.