Holiday Turmoil: Easyjet And Ryanair Delays At Gatwick Disrupt Flights To Spain, Portugal And Greece, Everything You Need To Know

Trending 3 hours ago

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Passengers faced chaos astatine London’s Gatwick Airport connected Friday arsenic thousands of holidaymakers were delayed by nan slow-running EasyJet and Ryanair services. Some of nan astir celebrated leisure routes, to Spain, Portugal and Greece, were worst affected, causing summertime vacation plans to beryllium postponed for many.

Gatwick, UK’s Most Delay-Prone Airport

For nan 2nd twelvemonth running, Gatwick had nan highest mean formation hold of immoderate ample UK airport, nan UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said. Although nan airport’s mean departure delays were 23 minutes successful 2023, it is still struggling pinch punctuality arsenic postulation mounts during nan highest season.

Single Runway, Big Bottlenecks

Gatwick’s operational constraints, notably its azygous runway, and moreover insignificant scheduling mishaps tin person a domino effect. Then location was small slack connected high-traffic forecast for illustration coming for nan airdrome to sorb disruption.

Flights To Mediterranean Hot Spots Hit Hard

EasyJet and Ryanair, 2 of Gatwick’s biggest airlines, knowledgeable delays to aggregate short-haul European routes. Flights to Barcelona, Lisbon, Faro, Athens and Thessaloniki were intelligibly delayed connected departure boards, which could lead to galore passengers having to rebook connections and check-in times astatine their destinations.

Airspace Pressure Mounts Over Europe

Gatwick’s problems are besides being exacerbated by French aerial postulation power restrictions successful 1 of nan main transit areas for southbound flights from nan UK. The European aerial postulation guidance body, EUROCONTROL has precocious warned of an accrued consequence of congestion successful a number of European sectors – a business that could effect southwest bound UK sectors retired of Europe for example.

Airport Logistics Stretched Thin

The summation successful aerial recreation is putting unit connected airdrome operations successful some crushed and aerial sides. Gatwick has truthful small separator for absorbing hold that moreover a precocious presence aliases mini hold elsewhere successful Europe tin easy consequence successful these knock-on delays.

Your Rights If You’re Delayed

The Civil Aviation Authority reminds passengers that erstwhile a hold continues complete a definite length, airlines are expected to provender passengers and if request beryllium put them up overnight successful accommodation. These entitlements are wholly irrespective of responsibility for nan delay.

When You May Be Compensated

Compensation could still beryllium an option, but only if nan hold was wrong nan airline’s powerfulness to power – for illustration successful cases of method problems aliases staffing shortages. But ATC delays aliases utmost upwind conditions are considered bonzer circumstances, for which airlines are not required to compensate.

What To Do If You’re Affected

The CAA suggests passengers attack their hose straight pinch each of their applicable receipts, and formation documentation. If nan hose still has not settled nan conflict aft 8 weeks, passengers tin move nan title connected to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategy arsenic listed connected nan CAA’s website.

Planning Ahead For Summer Travel

With delays up and airspace still bumpy, travelers are encouraged to cheque their formation position frequently, springiness themselves other buffer clip and cognize your authorities earlier you go. For passengers heading to sun-soaked picnic spots successful Southern Europe, today’s cancellations are a informing to beryllium prepared for uncertainty — moreover erstwhile walking pinch bigger airlines.

More