According to reports, British Airways may suspend long-haul flights this summer.
The airline may have to suspend sales of flights to New York and New York City. This could cause disruptions to Brits’ holidays.
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BA announced Tuesday that it would no longer sell short-haul flights due to Heathrow Airport’s current flight limit.
Original suspension of travels by the UK flag carrier was made last weekend. Then, it extended this until August 8 and then again until August 15.
Last night, however, a spokesperson told The Telegraph that cancelling longer flights is not an option.
This devastating decision could endanger Brits’ dreams of visiting their dream destinations, which they had planned for years.
Heathrow Airport’s recent holiday hell has caused severe suspensions of flights.
BA operates more than half the Heathrow flights.
Britain’s busiest airport reduced the number flights to its terminals, and ordered airlines cancelling at least 1,000 more flights.
In a similar move as Gatwick Airport, the airport limited the number of aircraft that could fly daily until September. It also instructed airlines not to sell tickets.
After the airport disasters, the short-haul suspension was not enough to save flights to faraway places.
Airports across the UK have been ravaged by the sheer volume of Brits traveling again since the beginning of summer.
Last-minute cancellations have left holidaymakers stranded at foreign airports or costing them thousands of dollars to fly home.
The airport staff has had to issue warnings regarding arrival times and baggage lost or delayed due to long lines.
Heathrow claimed that its terminals needed an intervention to reduce pressure. “critical functions in the airport which are still significantly under resourced”.
After the pandemic, there is a shortage in check-in staff, bag handlesrs, and other logistic personnel.
BA has just announced that long-haul flight prices could also be affected. This will make holiday planning even more complicated for Brits looking to escape.
Alex Macheras is an independent aviation analyst who spoke to the TelegraphIt was “realistic”Expect BA to reduce long-haul sales amid continuing disruption.
He stated that airlines cannot guarantee that no long-haul flights will be affected by the restrictions, caps, and pressures they are currently putting on them.
“BA’s global network of routes is vast. While short-haul flights on multiple frequencies will always be the most popular, they also offer long-haul flights on multiple frequencies. You can also trim the schedule.
“The stand-out example would be the route to New York, but also other flights to North America and South East Asia.”
However, a BA spokesperson stated that the airline dealt with ticket sales suspensions on a case by case basis and there were no blanket restrictions.
This means that a traveller who has had their morning flight cancelled should be able arrive at their destination at a later time.
Although they acknowledged that it was a difficult decision, “responsible”BA also admitted it could lose a little money during the suspension of ticket sales.
OAG, an aviation data company, estimates that passenger restrictions could lead to airlines spending as high as half a million pounds.
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