Airlines are expected to announce a series of cancellations to UK summer flights this week to try and minimise disruption in the peak holiday season.

The government amnesty, which is in place until Friday, gives airlines a short window to hand back the slots in the summer season that they are not confident they will be able to operate.  In usual circumstances, carriers risk losing the slots if they cancel flights.  This is to try and avoid last minute flight cancellations similar to those seen in May which were blamed on a shortage of airline and airport staff. 

Gatwick Airport had already said it would reduce the number of flights during the summer due to staff shortages even before the announcement of the airport slots amnesty.