Grovelling Heathrow boss ‘sorry’ as flights axed – before warning of even more chaos to come
THE boss of Heathrow has said sorry for heaping misery on holidaymakers before warning there will be even more chaos to come.
The UK’s busiest airport cancelled 61 flights yesterday at short notice, blaming a higher number of passengers in its Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 than it had capacity to deal with.
Around 10,000 passengers were affected by its decision but Heathrow threatened that there would be more cuts if it believes that airlines’ revised schedules will still lead to disruption.
John Holland-Kaye, chief exec of Heathrow, said the airport would review the schedule changes proposed by airlines and “will ask them to take further action if necessary."
He added: “We want everyone who is travelling through Heathrow to be confident they will have a reliable journey.”
The airport said that there was currently “very low punctuality” and admitted that its service levels “have not been acceptable”. Holland Kaye said: “We want to apologise”.
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Staff shortages have caused long queues to form at the airport this summer, as travel chaos has affected thousands of travellers.
The airport was forced to cancel flights on a number of occasions, due to "higher passenger numbers than the airport has capacity serve".
Airlines have slashed a number of flights in the coming months, in the search for a solution to the problems.
However, Holland-Kaye has said Heathrow might have to ask for further flights to be cancelled.
He said: "We have already seen times recently when demand exceeds the capacity of the airport, airlines and ground handlers.
"We will review the schedule changes that airlines have submitted in response to the Government's requirement to minimise disruption for passengers this summer and will ask them to take further action if necessary.
Adding to the airport's problems is a planned strike for later this month.
Last week it was announced that industrial action will cause "considerable disruption" to thousands of family holidays.
Staff at Heathrow refuelling company Aviation Fuel Services (AFS) are threatening to walk out for three days.
The strikes will be from July 21 to July 24, affecting the first weekend of the summer holidays and millions of passengers heading abroad.
More than 70 airlines including Virgin, Delta and KLM are expected to be affected as the union fights for an end to their three year pay freeze with a double-digit pay rise.
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Departures at the airport were stopped recently as passengers had to wait hours for their luggage to be returned.
Heathrow bosses begged passengers not to turn up more than three hours before their flights because of the broken bag drop system.
