Summer 2022 has been one of the most tumultuous air travel seasons in recent memory. Europe destinationin particular, experienced unprecedented travel disruption as soon as visitor numbers spiked following the end of the coronavirus lockdown and the easing of entry requirements.
Popular words Flight cancellations and delays to continue labor action and strike across the continent to melt runways and Chaos at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)Last year was a challenge, to say the least.
You can’t proactively prevent an airline’s staffing problems, industry strikes, and airport crises. However, you can take some action to “keep calm and move on”, as the British say.
Certain planning strategies and techniques can improve your chances of getting where you want to be — or at least make it easier to manage cancellations.
Latest European airport issues
With Memorial Day in the US and the late-May bank holiday in the UK fast approaching, those hoping for an easy and smooth trip in Europe may feel nervous.
Just in the last 24 hours, Airline British was forced to cancel 118 flights at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and delay another 327 flights following technical problems. BA services were affected at Heathrow with up to 17% of the day’s schedules canceled and 49% delayed.
Related: TPG’s Guide to Understanding Flight Compensation EU261
Bringing more woes, about 1,400 security personnel at Heathrow are currently embroiled in a 72-hour strike scheduled to end May 27. The strike action is largely focused. into Terminal 5, meaning British Airways passengers will face the brunt of the disruption. This will be of particular interest to international travelers passing through central London on their way to and from the United States.
Heathrow officials were optimistic that strike disruption would be minimal.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
A spokesperson said: “Passengers can rest assured that they will be able to travel normally.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Flight Cancellation and Refunds with Major US Airlines
Recent disruptions have come to the fore after EasyJet, Ryanair and British Airways were forced to cancel hundreds of flights in early May due to ongoing French air traffic controller strikes. The worker disputes then affected flights departing from London Stansted Airport (STN), Bristol Airport (BRS), Manchester Airport (MAN) and Edinburgh Airport (EDI) – and that was just it. in the United Kingdom
Going into summer, the threat of a strike underway across Europe shows little sign of abating. As it stands, we can expect to see further hikes in May and June.
In Italy, a nationwide general strike affecting buses, trains and trams will begin today, May 26. It is expected to last 24 hours.
Italy travel will again be hampered on June 4 due to a 24-hour strike at airports. Thankfully, by Italian law, flights departing between 7 and 10 a.m. and between 6 and 9 p.m. are protected from this action. If you are planning to travel to Italy on this date, it would be wise to book an earlier or later flight.
In France, tourists have been warned of possible disruption due to protests against the country’s increase in the legal retirement age. The date to watch here is June 6; Previous protests have seen cancellations, as well as delays to Eurostar flights and train schedules.
French air traffic controllers have been on strike regularly since March, and this is expected to continue until June 1. The strike action by ATC has caused more than 50 days of disruption in just one day. the first months of 2023, contributing to more than 3,700 flight cancellations, according to low-cost carrier Ryanair.
As for Spain, the Spanish Federation of Airline Pilots is planning strikes for pilots at Air Europa on May 29 and 30, plus June 1 and 2. Strikes also occurs from May 22 to 26.
While last summer’s chaos can largely be attributed to staffing shortages in the aftermath of the pandemic, 2023 seems increasingly hampered by strike action. We do not expect this to be resolved anytime soon.
It’s not all bad, though. The number of flights canceled in Europe fell 48% in April from the previous month, according to data analysts at aviation risk analysis firm Cirium. Spain’s leading airline Iberian proven to be the most punctual globally, with 87.28% of flights taking off on schedule. It’s a worthy contender if you haven’t picked up an airline this summer, especially if you’re loyal to A world.
Norwegian Air Shuttle, Austria Airlines and Finnair broke into the top five most punctual airlines in Europe last month. No UK airline appears in the top 10 most punctual airlines.
How to plan for airport chaos
Strikes are out of your control. However, there are some actions you can take before your flight to prepare for possible airport chaos, flight cancellations, and schedule disruptions.
Carry-on baggage only
Airlines are having well documented problems baggage handler, especially with connecting flights to and around Europe. Checked baggage may not arrive with you at your destination, and last minute flight changes or reroutes may result in lost checked baggage.
To try to get rid of this problem, only travel with hand luggage, if possible. Just carrying a bag of skateboards with you on your European travels also makes it more convenient to catch an alternative flight or make last minute changes to itineraries without having to worry about checked baggage .
Related: 7 steps to take when the airline loses your luggage
However, know that with many airlines’ cabins already sold out and passengers competing for limited luggage space on top, you can forced to check port your carry-on luggage, even after all your plans. TPG has some advice the best way to keep your carry-on baggage with you.
Related: 9 travel packing tips to save space in your luggage
Use direct flights to avoid troubled airports
Regardless of the airport, it’s best to avoid any unnecessary flights. The more connections you make, the more likely you are to get dropped or delayed.
If it makes financial and time sense, book flights directly. Those extra dollars can save you a lot of trouble.
Related: Your flight is canceled or delayed — here’s what you should do next
Take advantage of available travel tools
Staying up-to-date with your airline and flight status can help you anticipate and manage delays and cancellations. Use all the channels available to you: email notifications, text notifications, airline apps, airline Twitter accounts, and even airport Twitter accounts.
“Be sure to download your airline’s phone app and make sure their contact information is up to date and notifications turned on,” says Limor Decter, travel advisor at Embark Beyond.
Decter advises its customers to check flight status, weather and news — both where the flight starts and where it’s headed — a day or two before departure. If something goes wrong, he recommends using his travel agent for assistance, as agents have direct access to the airlines.
Decter explains: “We can often connect with the right people to rebook a canceled flight.
Related: Check out these four great new Google trip planners
Apply patience, persistence, and courtesy
Even the best-planned travel plans sometimes go awry through no fault of your own.
When this happens (and most likely will this summer), think about packing the “three P’s”: patience, persistence, and courtesy. Traveling with these three items in your mental suitcase will help you better navigate your trip. It can also reduce stress levels.
Related: 6 tips to keep you cool this summer as air travel melts
Politeness is a powerful tool
Being polite to an airline customer service representative, whether in person or over the phone, is a good thing, especially given the level of stress they face.
It might also inspire them to take that extra step to help rescue your travel plans. That’s because call center staff have a lot of discretion regarding the number of options they research to rebook you before they give up and leave you stranded at your destination.
Apply persistence in resetting
It pays passengers to take the initiative if they need to rebook a flight.
As anyone who has recently tried to change itineraries knows, airline customer service phone wait times can be horrendous — sometimes measured in hours.
Try a multi-pronged approach to resetting. Contact your travel agent if you have used and check on the airline’s website, app and Twitter feed. Consult with representatives directly at the airport — both at the customer service center and agents at the gate.
If you have the privilege of using an airline lounge, consider going there to speak with a customer service representative, as queues may be shorter.
Related: As more airlines abandon Twitter, here’s how to quickly contact an airline customer service agent
bottom line
Travelers will continue to face challenges in air travel to, from and across Europe this summer due to labor disputes, as well as overall capacity and staffing issues.
TPG recommends travelers planning any European trip this summer to stay up to date with the latest news from airlines and airports.
As travel plans involve transit through some of the busiest airports and destinations, try to reduce the risk of disrupting your trip by packing only hand luggage and taking advantage of the airline. zero or your travel status to skip the queue and upgrade the cabin.
As always, in these unpredictable times, be patient to deal with the chaos.
Additional reporting by Bill Fink.
