Holiday airline in crisis All TUIfly flights from Cologne-Bonn cancelled
Hannover · Passengers from Cologne-Bonn and Dusseldorf had flights cancelled as the airline struggles to find enough crew.
It is extremely bad news for hundreds of holidaymakers from North Rhine Westphalia. They had been looking forward to an autumn holiday in Majorca, Crete or Turkey, but in many cases had to unpack their suitcases again on Friday. The holiday airline TUIfly closed nearly its entire operation on Friday because of the huge number of cockpit and cabin staff who called in sick. The company tried to recover at least a small number of the flight cancellations, including some in Dusseldorf and Cologne, using chartered aircraft and crews.
The airline, which is owned by the Tui travel agency, said on its website on Thursday night that according to current information only ten flights country wide could operate in this way. “All other flights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are cancelled for 7 October because of current crew shortages.”
Some Turkey-bound Dusseldorf holidaymakers were lucky. Their aircraft to Antalya could take off. TUIfly and an airport spokesman also said an incoming flight from the Turkish holiday resort was being operated by the Turkish budget airline Corendon. There should be eight outbound and inbound flights at Dusseldorf during Friday, although sometimes with amended flight times. In Cologne, the airport said all seven TUIfly outbound flights had been cancelled. Of the 52 planned Air Berlin flights, ten outbound and inbound flights are cancelled.
TUIfly had already said on Thursday evening that many flights on Friday would be cancelled – a likely 108 flights throughout the country. The reason for the cancellations is the large number of pilots and cabin crew on sick leave. There have been cancellations of TUIfly and Air Berlin flights for several days because of crew members calling in sick at short notice. The holiday airline is about to be restructured and employee representatives fear there will be job losses.
TUIfly is currently planning return flights for tourists in holiday regions such as Majorca and Turkey. Passengers who had return flights on Thursday should be able to fly home today. A total of 12 flights are “foreseeable”, the company said.
TUIfly does not want to compensate passengers and claims the cancellations and delays are an act of force majeure. A spokeswoman said: “The large number of illness notifications at extremely short notice constitutes unusual and unavoidable circumstances within the meaning of force majeure.”
Philipp Kadelbach from Flightright sees it differently. TUIfly cannot rely on force majeure. Waves of illness are normal business risks, which airlines need to account for at any time, even if there is doubt an illness actually exists. He advises all passengers to bring claims for compensation.
Thousands of passengers have been affected. TUIfly said of 110 planned flights on Thursday, 47 had been cancelled. Thousands of passengers had to wait for connections or cancel their autumn holiday plans.
At the Cologne/Bonn airport alone, 25 Air Berlin and TUIfly flights were cancelled at short notice. On Wednesday, 29 Air Berlin flights had already been cancelled.
TUIfly passengers can find out about the status of their flights by calling 0800 900 609 0 (free of charge) or 0511 942 796 10 (local call rates apply).
Original text: dpa; translated by Kate Carey.
