EasyJet has canceled 1,700 summer flights from Gatwick
The vacation plans of thousands of travelers face disruption after U.K. budget airline EasyJet was forced to cancel 1,700 summer flights from London Gatwick Airport (LGW).
The cancellations will affect around 180,000 passengers traveling to and from Gatwick in July, August and September.
According to EasyJet, 95% of affected passengers have since been rebooked on alternative flights with the airline. However, roughly 9,000 travelers are still yet to be placed on flights, as reported by The Independent.
EasyJet's decision to cancel the flights comes as schools across England and Wales prep to break up for summer vacations. The current cancellations amount to the equivalent of an entire day of flights with the airline.
The news follows a weekend of woe for EasyJet, which canceled 118 flights across Saturday and Sunday, more than 40 of which were flights to and from Gatwick, according to FlightAware.
Related: Airport meltdowns: Tips if you're headed to Europe this summer
The budget airline has blamed the cancellations upon "challenging conditions" caused by air traffic control delays, potential ATC strike action and the impacts of airspace closures due to the war in Ukraine.
A spokesperson for EasyJet said:
"We have therefore made some pre-emptive adjustments to our program, consolidating a small number of flights at Gatwick, where we have multiple daily frequencies, in order to help mitigate these external challenges on the day of travel for our customers. Customers whose flights are affected are being informed, with 95% of customers being rebooked onto an alternative flight and all customers provided with the option to rebook or receive a refund. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused."
Related: Are you entitled to compensation if your flight is affected by strikes?
EasyJet is still committed to operating more than 90,000 flights during the summer period, though further disruption could still loom for all airlines. Last week, workers at Eurocontrol, a key European ATC company, revealed plans for potential strike action, which could affect around 12,600 daily flights in the coming months. However, dates for the proposed strikes have yet to be announced.
Can I claim compensation if my flight was affected?
If your EasyJet flight has been canceled, you could be entitled to compensation.
Under the EU261 regulation, passengers affected by delays or cancellations have the right to travel on the day of planned departure using other airlines at the expense of EasyJet.
Passengers may also claim a full refund for their fare should they decline a replacement flight.
Related: TPG's guide to understanding EU261 flight compensation
If the airline is responsible for canceling your flight, you are entitled by European law to compensation.
You may qualify for compensation if your replacement flight delays your arrival by two or more hours or if your flight was canceled with less than 14 days notice before your planned departure.
The compensation you can claim depends upon the cancellation's timing, the distance you're due to travel, and the departure and arrival time of any replacement flight option.
This could be up to 350 British pounds (about $446.81) for EasyJet flights longer than 1,500 km (about 932 miles). Under the same European air passenger rights, the airline should also pay for any additional accommodation required due to delays or meals taken while waiting to depart.
Check out our guide to the EU261 regulation for more information on how to claim compensation.
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