One of Europe's most respected airlines has thrown summer travel plans into chaos after cancelling 1,400 flights.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has blamed the sudden decision on pilot and fleet shortages.
The disruption is expected to continue until October 2025, creating significant problems for travellers across Europe.
Aviation Expert Anton Radchenko from AirAdvisor suggests these cancellations reflect wider issues in the European aviation industry, calling them just the "tip of the iceberg".
The cancellations could cause significant problems across Europe
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"We're not seeing a demand problem but a staffing and scheduling bottleneck," he explained.
The disruption could affect up to 50,000 UK travellers who use SWISS services from four major airports: London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, and Edinburgh.
The airline operates approximately 10-15 UK flights daily, with most departing from London Heathrow. These UK routes represent 10-12 per cent of the total cancellations.
While passengers flying directly to Zurich will be immediately impacted, the disruption may also affect those travelling to long-haul destinations via Switzerland or those yet to book their return flights.
"With this latest wave of SWISS cancellations, summer just got more complicated for UK travellers," warned Radchenko.
Passengers affected by the SWISS cancellations have clear rights under EU261 regulation. Those impacted are entitled to a full refund and free re-routing.
If your flight's departure is less than 14 days from when SWISS announced the cancellation, you'll also receive compensation ranging from £220 to £520.
The exact amount depends on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay you experience.
This compensation scheme provides some financial protection for the thousands of travellers whose summer plans have been disrupted by these widespread cancellations.
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SWISS has blamed the decision on pilot and fleet shortages
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SWISS has issued a statement explaining their decision: "With these proactive adjustments to our flight schedule, our aim is to maintain the highest possible level of stability and reliability for our passengers."
The airline detailed that long-haul routes to Shanghai and Chicago would be affected until the end of June, with Chicago flights also impacted during September and October.
Various European destinations from Zurich and Geneva will see cancellations through October.
"We regret that we are unable to offer the affected connections as originally planned," SWISS added, promising to inform customers as early as possible.
