Flybe cancellations continue as crew shortages bite

'We are doing everything possible to minimise any further disruption over the coming days and have actioned contingency plans'

As Flybe struggles with staffing, cancellations continue on the troubled regional airline.

After cancelling more than 30 flights on Wednesday, Flybe operated almost all its services on Thursday. But on the last day of the working week, passengers on several routes were disrupted.

The morning flight from Manchester to Belfast City and the inbound service were grounded, as well as a round trip from Manchester to Southampton.

Other Belfast City services were cancelled, including links to London City and Birmingham.

For each passenger on cancelled flights, Flybe is obliged to find alternative departures, provide accommodation if needed and pay €250 (£215) in compensation under European air passengers’ rights rules.

Passengers booked on future flights expressed their concerns on social media. Claire Donnan tweeted: “I was about to book flight BE4513 from Cardiff to Glasgow on the 8th of May! What is the likelihood that this route will be cancelled, unsure whether to book?”

Flybe has announced it will shrink services from the Welsh capital from the start of the winter season at the end of October. But currently it intends to operate all the flights for which it has sold tickets this summer.

Another passenger expressed frustration at the enforcement of the cabin baggage policy. Andrew Campbell alleged that his flight was delayed as ground staff collected payment for hand luggage that breaches the maximum size limit: “£50 for a 8kg hand luggage and we are late taking off because they are working hard on everyone to pay.”

A spokesperson for the airline said: “Flybe does not foresee a repeat of the high level of flight cancellations experienced on 3 April 2019.

“We are doing everything possible to minimise any further disruption over the coming days and have actioned contingency plans.

“We apologise once again for the disruptions experienced and invite all our customers to continue to follow updates on flybe.com and our social platforms.”

The airline appears to have a chronic shortage of pilots and cabin crew.

Flybe is due to be rebranded as Virgin Atlantic this year, after Sir Richard Branson’s airline and two other partners rescued the troubled carrier.