Summer 2022 is turning out to be one of the worst in recent years for flight passengers. A series of problems, largely caused by the pandemic, are creating serious disruptions at airports across the UK, with flights cancelled even mere hours before departure. What are the reasons for all this chaos? And what can travellers do to save their holidays?
Chaos at the airports
You may have read about it in the newspapers, or experienced it first-hand if you have taken a plane recently. Eleven thousand flights in Europe alone have been cancelled in the last month, creating difficulties for hundreds of thousands of travellers. At airports, we find difficulties loading luggage, frequent delays, but above all long queues: in Amsterdam the average wait before boarding is four hours! This early summer discomfort does not bode well: how long will we have to wait in July? How many flights will be cancelled in August?
The causes of cancelled flights
The air travellers’ odyssey is due to an unfortunate combination of problems that originated during the pandemic. The transport sector was terribly affected by the movement restrictions of the lock-downs, and the airlines reacted to the losses by leaving the least needed workers, such as ground staff at airports, at home. But with the end of the restrictions, the number of travellers grew quickly, catching the airlines by surprise, as they suddenly found themselves without sufficient staff to handle the influx of tourists.
But that’s not all: the remaining employees found themselves working under increasingly exhausting conditions, having to cover the hours of their missing colleagues, and this, together with other shortcomings complained of during the pandemic, led to a series of strikes by employees in the sector. The result: flights cancelled even one day in advance.
What travellers can do
Are we in the hands of Lady Luck, or can we do something about it? For those who have already booked a flight, we recommend keeping an eye on the main newspapers of the country you will be travelling to, as well as looking for the dates of any upcoming strikes. We also recommend arriving at the airport well in advance to avoid long queues. Apps such as FlightAware and Flight Radar allow you to monitor most commercial flights.
For those who have not yet booked, there is an alternative: the bus. There are plenty of beautiful destinations to visit this summer via bus, without the stress of having your vacation cancelled.
Let’s take a look at some alternative destinations:
United Kingdom
Whether on a business trip or a holiday – it is always worth discovering the most beautiful corners of the United Kingdom. The best thing about it is that you can get anywhere by bus and don’t have to be held back by cancelled flights or train strikes. Here are a few of the most popular routes in the UK.
- Bus from London to Nottingham
- Bus from London to Oxford
- Bus from London to Edinburgh
- Bus from Manchester to Birmingham
- Bus from Glasgow to Dublin
France
A short hop across the channel is all it takes to be in one of the most breathtaking countries in Europe. The rugged coasts of Brittany, the glittering blue Mediterranean or pulsating Paris: you can also travel all this comfortably by bus without a plane.
Ireland
Lush green hills, a unique atmosphere and lots of good whisky. Ireland has all that to offer. It is particularly easy to enjoy the island of Shamrock and Leprechauns by bus – the cheapest and most reliable means of transport among our neighbours.
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