This is the last day airlines using UK airports can cancel flights without fear of penalty as part of efforts to give reassurance to travelers who are understandably nervous about their long-awaited summer holiday.
The so-called slot amnesty was announced last month by the government when it became clear that the sector could not guarantee a smooth summer break after months of disruption.
The return of international travel without COVID restrictions has proved unsettling for airports and many airlines across Europe as they lack the staff to cope with high demand for getaways.
This led to widespread frustration, particularly during school holidays and bank holidays, with passengers having to endure long queues, delays and last-minute cancellations.
Some airlines and airports have introduced capacity cuts of their own in an attempt to improve the situation.
Figures from industry regulator the CAA show just 10,000 – or 1.6% of flights – were canceled in the first five months of the year.
The airlines have since been accused of failing to fulfill their obligations to passengers by consumer group Which?.
He has been outspoken about the behavior of airlines towards their customers in general, but has filed complaints with the industry regulator about both BA and easyJet, the British airlines which have cut the largest volume of services from their schedules this year amid a battle for providing more workers.
Last month, the government authorized the amnesty, giving carriers just over two weeks to temporarily return any take-off and landing slots they cannot use.
Under normal circumstances, they would normally lose the slots they don’t use.
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During the amnesty, BA announced several rounds of flight cuts affecting tens of thousands of passengers, mainly due to flying from Heathrow and Gatwick.
The latest, revealed on Wednesday, means 13% of the summer season schedule will not fly this year.
The airline said the latest cancellations would affect its least popular routes to better protect holiday flights.
EasyJet, like BA, has also been cutting flights in advance at a fairly high rate in recent months, but has faced particular criticism for last-minute cancellations.
It is believed to have used the amnesty to ditch around 11,000 more services until its chief operating officer abruptly quit earlier this week.
EasyJet has no plans to cut any more services as it works with affected passengers to secure their summer travel.
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