Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has issued fresh calls for the resignation of the chief executive of air traffic control (ATC) provider Nats.
Mr O’Leary urged Martin Rolfe to step down and “allow someone competent” to take over after flights were disrupted at Gatwick Airport on Sunday due to “Nats staff shortages”.
Analysis of data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows 49 departures and 51 arrivals were cancelled on Sunday between 3pm and midnight, affecting more than 16,000 passengers.
“Ryanair again calls on UK Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe to step down and allow someone competent to run an efficient UK ATC service, which airlines and passengers are entitled to expect,” Mr O’Leary said.
“If he won’t go, then (new Transport Secretary) Louise Haigh should sack him.”
Around 3,500 passengers expecting to fly to or from London Gatwick on 20 flights on Monday morning have been grounded. Most are booked on easyJet, which cancelled its first flight of the day, to Ibiza, and six others including links to Naples and Nice.
Passengers were told the cause was “air-traffic control restrictions” outside the airline’s control.
Nearly 50 departures and 51 arrivals were cancelled on Sunday from Gatwick
Gatwick flights have frequently been disrupted due to ATC staffing issues.
Analysis of data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows 49 departures and 51 arrivals were cancelled on Sunday between 3pm and midnight, affecting more than 16,000 passengers.
Many other flights were delayed.
Jabed Ahmed9 September 2024 14:32
Full report: UK flight chaos continues with dozens more cancellations at Gatwick and Heathrow
Jabed Ahmed9 September 2024 14:09
What flights have been delayed or cancelled?
Around 3,500 passengers expecting to fly to or from London Gatwick on 20 flights on Monday morning have been grounded.
Most are booked on EasyJet, which cancelled its first flight of the day, to Ibiza, and six others including links to Naples and Nice.
Passengers were told the cause was “air-traffic control restrictions” and outside the airline’s control.
The cancellations are in addition to 64 flights grounded by easyJet on Sunday due to short-notice…
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