Flight cancellations: 8 questions answered by Simon Calder

Summer travel disruption, flight cancellations and strikes were at the forefront of questions asked by readers during travel correspondent Simon Calder’s weekly ‘Ask Me Anything’ on Friday.

The message of the day? Stay positive. Simon urged readers to be optimistic when booking and reminded them of their rights should their flights be cancelled.

Let’s dig in.

It seems easyJet are now cancelling some flights 20 days in advance. Do you have any insight into how end of August is looking ?

Several million people booked on easyJet over the summer will be wishing, as I am, that the airline could finalise all its cancellations as soon as possible. As you know, the carrier promised more flights than it has the resources to deliver, especially to and from London Gatwick, and is now trimming the schedule by about 10 per cent. That means a significant number of people booked on July and August flights have been told, or will shortly learn, that their original flight is cancelled. But even if it is, those fabulous European air passengers’ rights rules will stand you in good stead by requiring the cancelling airline to provide an alternative flight on the same day.

I am flying to Malaga by easyJet on 2 July. How likely is it that my flight will be cancelled if the Spanish strike goes ahead?

The flight is very likely to go ahead despite strike involving some easyJet staff in Spain. If it doesn’t there will be multiple other options to get you to Malaga.

Why is easyJet not clearer on offering alternative flights/transport to their destination in event of cancellation? Are customers actually getting through to customer services an now getting alternative flights?

I don’t believe any airline is doing what it is supposed to do under the air passenger rights rules in terms of rebooking people on the obvious alternative flights. I hope I am wrong about that. I am, of course, keeping records of when carriers have flatly refused to give passengers the alternative flights that are most appropriate.

I am due to finally fly to San Diego on 16 August from Manchester via Heathrow on BA. How pessimistic should my hopes be?

Be more optimistic, people! Despite ground staff at BA’s Heathrow hub overwhelmingly backing a walkout in their fight to reverse pay cuts and the prediction from their trade union that “holidaymakers face massive disruption,” as someone holding four British Airways flights to and from Heathrow in July and August I am fairly confident they will take…