HUNDREDS of holidaymakers and business travellers are facing major disruption this morning after Flybe cancelled flights.
Nearly 30 planned flights across the UK have been cancelled for "operational reasons", including services to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports.
There are reports this morning that a shortage of pilots and cabin to run the schedule is a factor.
A spokeswoman for Flybe said annual leave and industry-wide pilot shortages were in play.
She said: "Flybe sincerely apologises to all our customers and partners affected by the current flight cancellations.
"Whilst 95% of Flybe flights are operating as per normal, we do recognize the impact of today’s cancellations.
"We are doing our best to mitigate the impact of the current situation that has arisen due to a combination of factors including seasonality, pilots’ end of leave year, Easter holidays, base restructuring and the shortage of pilots across the industry that Flybe has highlighted over recent months."
She added that further updates will be issued throughout the day.
The airline also confirmed today that it will close two of its bases, at Cardiff and Doncaster, and scale down a third base at Exeter.
Passengers booked to travel were contacted by the airline last night [Tuesday], but some expressed anger that they received texts and emails minutes before its customers services helpline closed for the day.
Yup, spent much of last night trying to disentangle the mess. Much of the Flybe website seemed to be out of action last night (& error messages meant rebooking online was impossible), plus well timed cancellation emails being sent out mere minutes before the call centre closed.😡
— Dawn Smith (@dsmith_edi) 3 April 2019
Read more: Loganair chief warns of more airline failures
It comes on what should have been the first day of the regional carrier's new summer timetable.
A total of four Flybe flights due to operate to and from Aberdeen Airport are affected by cancellations.
A spokesman for the airport said this was the result of "technical problems" with a single aircraft.
The cancelled Aberdeen flights are:
- 7am Aberdeen-Birmingham
- 10.40am Birmingham-Aberdeen
- 11.10am Aberdeen-Belfast
- 1.50pm Belfast-Aberdeen
The affected Glasgow Airport flights are:
7.15am Glasgow-Belfast
The return leg from Belfast to Glasgow, due to arrive at Glasgow at 9.10am, is also cancelled as a result.
10.45am Glasgow-East Midlands
The return leg from East Midlands to Glasgow, due to arrive at Glasgow at 1.30pm, is also cancelled.
The affected Edinburgh flights are:
7.20am Edinburgh-Southampton
A number of Flybe flights to and from Edinburgh have also been delayed, including the 7am to Birmingham which will not take off until 8.35am.
An incoming flight from Bimingham to the Scottish capital has been delayed for more than an hour and a half, meaning that it will not arrive now until at least 11.30am, and a flight from Cardiff to Edinburgh will also arrive late.
Passengers took to Twitter to complain, with many warning they will never use the airline again or seeking advice about whether to change forthcoming bookings with the carrier.
@flybe very much doubt I will be using Flybe again. Flying from Edinburgh this morning:
— Lady Laura Jess (@lamchops1987) 3 April 2019
Birmingham 0700 delayed.
Southampton 0729 cancelled
Cardiff 0840 delayed
Heathrow 0850 delayed
Manchester 1020 cancelled
I’ll be late for my meeting today! Cancellations on way back too!
@Flybe what is going on? We have flights booked for Easter weekend. Is this the end?
— Toya Bessey (@ToyaBessey) 3 April 2019
Flybe has apologised for any inconvenience caused, and has offered to refund passengers or rebook them onto alternative flights.
In a statement, it said: "All customers affected have been emailed and advised they can re-book for travel on an alternative flight or apply for a full refund."
Read more: Flybe to hold vote on chairman's future
It caps an embarrassing week for the airline which saw its flagship new Newquay to London Heathrow route descend into chaos on Sunday when engineers were unable to fix an electrical fault with the plane.
On what was supposed to be the first day of the new flight, passengers were forced to make the journey from the Cornish airport to the capital on a six-hour bus ride instead.
Read more: Virgin and Stobart in £2.2m pounce on struggling Flybe
In January 2019, Flybe - which is Europes' largest regional airline - was taken over by Virgin Atlantic in a £2.2 million joint deal with Stobart Air.
Flybe had put itself up for sale in November 2018, blaming higher fuel costs, currency fluctuations and Brexit uncertainty.
However, pilots were left furious that the sale saw the value of shares plummet. They had previously been issued with Flybe shares in lieu of wage increases.
Responding to news of base closures, pilots' union Balpa said: "This will come as a shock to all staff.
"BALPA will be working closely with the airline to ensure pilots’ jobs are protected and that this difficult process is handled as professionally as possible.”
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