Heathrow tells airlines to consider ‘KICKING holidaymakers off flights’ by slashing seat numbers amid travel chaos
HEATHROW has ordered airlines to consider booting holidaymakers off flights to bring an end to travel chaos engulfing the UK.
Europe's biggest airport wants carriers to slash seat numbers to slow down an onslaught of passengers surging through its terminals.
The plans were floated on Thursday at a meeting between airport bosses and airlines as an alternative to cancelling flights altogether.
It came despite dozens of flights getting the axe at Heathrow this week.
The move has been proposed as the west London-based airport frantically tries to cap passengers departing to 100,000 until September 11.
Heathrow initially said airlines must stop flogging summer tickets with a view to cut 4,000 passenger departures.
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But this failed so they have said slashing seats is the only option to keep the 100,000 target.
A source told the plans could come in after July 25, just as millions of Brits are due to jet off on a summer holiday.
It is unclear what the cap could be but previous examples suggest it could see flights only offer "75-80 percent" capacity.
They added: ";In effect, passengers face being bumped off flights that do take off.”
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The proposals for seat capacity cuts are a reflection of how much ground handlers can deal with amid a massive staff shortage.
Covid has seen thousands of airport staff leave their jobs, while airports have struggled to train new recruits quickly enough.
British Airways are offering to waive booking fees for customers on or before July 25 flights from Heathrow if they're forced to postpone their trip.
Thousands of flights and holidays have been cancelled amid travel hell in Britain.
And droves of Brits have reported how airports are losing their luggage as a wave of chaos grips the nation's terminals.
The carnage has now been made worse as easyJet workers in Spain went on strike on Friday.
There could be further disruption this weekend with 450 workers walking out at airports in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca.
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It will be the second of three weekends of strike action planned by airline staff this month, with walkouts also scheduled for July 29-31.
And chaos deepened at Gatwick on Thursday as it ran out of water leaving toilets unable to flush and restaurants shut.