Unite the union warns of more airport delays this summer amid return to travel after dropping of Covid rules

Airport delays could get worse during the summer holidays because of staff shortages, a trade union has warned.

Unite said delays at some airports over Easter will be repeated next week and will be worse during the summer.

There will be an extended bank holiday, from Thursday, June 2, to Sunday, June 5, to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

On Thursday, hundreds of EasyJet flights were cancelled or delayed due to an IT system failure.

The airline also plans to tackle staff shortages by removing seats on its flights so it can fly with less crew.

Back in April, both Easyjet and BA said they experienced high levels of illness among employees causing staff shortages. Hundreds of journeys over the Easter break were cancelled.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “During the pandemic, when airline operators, and others in aviation, slashed jobs to boost corporate profits, we warned this corporate greed would cause chaos in the industry.

“The aftermath of mass sackings is now chronic staff shortages across the board. Aviation chiefs need to come clean with the public. This is a crisis of their making.

“We are determined that workers will not pay for this crisis. Current pay and conditions in the industry are so poor that workers are voting with their feet.

“It can only be resolved by offering higher wages and better working conditions for staff.”

Unite said staff were being urged to work more overtime.

National officer Oliver Richardson added: “Unite will not accept our members being forced by their employers to work excessive overtime.

“Relying on staff overtime to run the business can’t be a long-term solution. Until the sector addresses the fundamental structural problems it has, delays, cancellations and chaos will continue.”