UK passengers stranded after Ryanair and British Airways hit by ‘major disruption’

Thousands of air passengers have been stranded at airports after travel was disrupted across Europe ahead of the summer holidays.

Flight delays and cancellations have affected nearly 2,000 flights at some of the busiest hubs across the continent, with major airlines struggling to maintain schedules.

Spain, England, France, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands have been affected by the disruptions. According to reports, 1,899 flights have been delayed and at least 50 flights have been cancelled. Both domestic and international routes have been affected.

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Major airports in London, Paris, Rome and Madrid have been among the worst hit: London airports faced heavy delays affecting both departures and arrivals, Paris saw backlog issues, particularly on short-haul European routes, while Rome and Madrid reported operational slowdowns due to scheduling bottlenecks.

Several major airlines including British Airways and Ryanair have been directly impacted by the disruptions.

‌These carriers operate extensive networks across the continent, so delays in one region often affect other routes.

Several issues appear to have contributed to the disruptions, including air traffic control constrains, weather variability, staffing challenges and high travel demand.

Passengers have reported spending hours waiting at departure gates, missing connecting flights, non-timely updates from airlines and limited availability of alternative flights.

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British Airways has reportedly offered passengers the option to rebook on the next available flight, provided refunds for cancelled services and has advised passengers to check flight statuses before heading to airports.

Disruptions remain ongoing, but there have been signs that operations are gradually returning to normal. Full return, however, may take some time.