It is understood Department of Transport officials backed out during a call with industry leaders earlier this week. But a government source said: “We have not asked for this, but we have asked the airlines to review their schedules to make sure they are realistic.” More than one in 25 flights out of the UK on Thursday were canceled on the same day – double the rate earlier in the week – with the disruption attributed to staff shortages exacerbated by Covid. It followed a 78 percent increase in flight cancellations across Europe last week, with 4,384 flights grounded compared to 2,458 the previous week, according to aviation data analyst Cirium. With another round of cancellations on the horizon, industrial action is erupting across the continent. Hundreds of BA check-in staff at Heathrow have voted to walk out in a pay dispute, with industrial action expected to take place later this month. Not yet confirmed. Meanwhile, Spain-based cabin crew working for Ryanair and easyJet are walking out this weekend, workers at Paris Charles de Gaulle have forced back-to-back cancellations over pay and ground crew in Germany are demanding at least €350 extra a month . Up to 1,000 pilots at SAS, the Scandinavian airline, are in pay talks and are threatening to strike.
