UK wants to avoid airport chaos for summer vacation

Queue at Heathrow Airport, London, June 22, 2022. AP - Frank Augstein

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Long queues, serial cancellations and luggage that does not arrive: since the Easter holidays, there has been chaos at UK airports.

As the summer school holidays are fast approaching, airlines have just announced that further cancellations are to be expected in the coming days.

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With our correspondent in London

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Will they be able to go on vacation?

This is the question that the British ask themselves.

The government has authorized airlines to cancel flights that they find difficult to carry out, thus allowing travelers to be warned in advance.

The objective is to put an end to the scenes of chaos in the country's airports.

Thursday, June 30, thirty flights

were canceled, and passengers were notified at the last minute.

The government is taking action

In an attempt to prepare for the summer holidays as well as possible, the British government has also unveiled a series of measures allowing better management in airports, in particular helping in the recruitment and training of air staff.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps explained that the health restrictions have been lifted for more than 100 days and that it is therefore high time that airports operate normally.

But during the pandemic, the layoffs have multiplied.

Moreover, with Brexit, it is difficult to recruit European staff.

The Minister also plans to speed up the hiring process, in particular the security checks carried out by the authorities which greatly complicate recruitment.

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• UK

• Transportation