Airlines and operators have “seriously oversold flights”, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says.
Image source, EPA
Holidaymakers are continuing to face disruption at airports, with more than 150 flights cancelled on Wednesday.
Airlines including EasyJet and Tui were among those to make cancellations, although most customers will have been given advance notice.
There have also been long queues at terminals ahead of the Jubilee weekend.
The transport secretary said airlines and operators, which are struggling with staff shortages, had “seriously oversold flights and holidays”.
EasyJet has cancelled at least 31 flights at Gatwick, to destinations including Bologna, Barcelona, Prague, Krakow and Edinburgh.
Last week the airline said around 24 flights a day would be cancelled from the airport between 28 May and 6 June.
Tui Airways is also continuing to cancel six daily flights at Manchester Airport, representing a quarter of its schedule and affecting around 34,000 travellers.
Most customers would have been told about cancellations in advance but some of those affected told the BBC they had not been contacted by Tui.
British Airways has cancelled 124 short-haul flights at Heathrow, although the airline said these were pre-planned and passengers were told in advance.
Airlines UK, which represents the major British airlines, said the “vast majority” of flights would be operating as scheduled.
Mr Shapps said the government had been clear that it was up to industry leaders to tackle travel disruption, which was also seen at Easter.
The transport secretary said he would meet with airports, airlines and ground handlers to “find out what’s gone wrong and how they are planning to end the current run of cancellations and delays”.
“Despite government warnings, operators seriously oversold flights and holidays relative to their capacity to deliver. This must not happen again and all efforts should be directed at there being no repeat of this over the summer – the first post-Covid summer season,” he added.
Up to two million people are preparing to fly over the next few days, with the Jubilee bank holiday coinciding with half-term.
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