Summer holiday cancellations warning as Boeing crisis leads to planes shortage
Holidaymakers could be hit by a wave of flight cancellations as Boeing’s safety crisis has led to a plane shortage.
The world’s largest aircraft leasing company Avia Solutions has warned that airlines in Europe could trim their schedules this summer.
Flight prices in the coming months have already increased, with Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary earlier this year stating that fares may climb 10 per cent - on top of usual summer increases.
Plane deliveries have slowed down after a panel on an Alaska Airlines flight was ripped out mid air, leaving passengers fearing for their lives, in January.
Gediminas Ziemelis, chairman of Dublin-based Avia, told the Telegraph: “We’re seeing what I would call super-demand. The last time there was anything like this was when traffic rebounded after 9/11.
“Airlines are desperate for aircraft because of the production problems but the well is dry. I think in this dislocated system that cancellations are quite possible.”
Avia expects to deploy at least 80 per cent of its 212-strong fleet in Europe this summer.
Airlines have also been slowed down after manufacturer Pratt & Whitney recalled hundreds of engines for Airbus short-haul planes.
Avia said it has already agreed to lease aircraft to a number of carriers across Europe.
Wizz Air has taken seven jets after grounding about 45 planes following the Pratt & Whitney issue.
Lufthansa has agreed to lease eight aircraft and British Airways four, Mr Ziemelis said.
Turkish airlines has agreed to lease more than 30 jets and TUI is also taking planes.
