British Airways has apologised after a technical issue caused the cancellations of domestic and European flights on Thursday, making for a stressful bank holiday weekend. Over 50 flights departing Heathrow were cancelled, with more than 20 that had been delayed or cancelled set to arrive. Even flights scheduled for Friday evening were notified of delays, adding to the frustration of customers. This follows IT issues just before Christmas and a 2017 incident where hundreds of flights from Heathrow and Gatwick were cancelled.
In a statement released just before 10pm, British Airways said they were aware of the issue and urged only those travelling within the next 48 hours to contact them. A tweet at 11.27pm declared their systems were back up and running, with intermittent issues still a possibility. Heathrow Airport confirmed the cancellations were not a result of strikes.
Customers have the option of refunds, rebooking, or if they have to stay overnight, meals and hotel accommodation will be provided. One social media user, who’d been at the airport at 7pm, expressed their disappointment in the airline’s handling of the situation. The delays and cancellations are expected to continue into Friday, on top of the security guards’ three-day strike over pay. Unite members have already held 15 days of industrial action, including during the Easter period.
