Chaos for thousands of holidaymakers: easyJet cancels dozens of flights as 15,000 passengers are hit by travel disruption due to ‘extraordinary’ weather conditions

• EasyJet has claimed the disruption is ‘outside’ of its control
• Have you been affected by travel disruption? Get in touch: [email protected] 

More than 15,000 easyJet passengers have been hit by flight cancellations due to severe weather.

EasyJet told the PA news agency its operations at the West Sussex airport on Sunday night were “impacted by thunderstorm activity”, which caused a knock-on effect on Monday as aircraft and crew were out of position. 

EasyJet’s website stated that cancellations were due to “poor weather conditions across the UK and Europe”, which caused “extended air traffic control restrictions to all departures and arrivals”.

The message stated that the disruption is “outside of our control and is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance”.

The airline has said the circumstances are ‘outside’ of its control

Twitter users have reacted furiously to the news

That means the airline will not pay flight delay compensation to affected travellers.

Gatwick airport said: “Air traffic control suspended flights while a storm passed over the South East.”

Meanwhile, Gatwick Express, which runs non-stop trains between the airport and central London, was suspended on Monday.

The operator said this was due to “urgent repairs to the track” after a set of points – which allow trains to move from one line to another – were damaged in the East Croydon area.

Passengers travelling to or from the airport were advised to use Southern and Thameslink services, which are slower as they stop at intermediate stations.

Easyjet commuters have reacted furiously to the news on Twitter, deeming staff as ‘useless’.

One user wrote: ‘Our flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport was cancelled last night we have been abandoned at Mercure Le Bourget. No info and no transfer back to the airport. Staff are useless.’

Others took aim at the airliner’s lack of ’empathy’ and ‘next to nothing compensation’.

One user slammed the airline for not putting enough staff on, saying ‘other companies have lots of attendants with no queues, because they are efficient’.

Severe weather conditions have been cited as the reason for the cancellations, as hot and humid temperatures mean the mercury shows no sign of letting off.

Temperatures are tipped to soar to 28C – but relief might come for some this afternoon with thunderstorms forecast. 

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