Manchester Airport passengers experienced a challenging day of travel on June 23 after multiple international flights were cancelled and several others suffered delays, disrupting journeys to some of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.
The disruption affected both arrivals and departures throughout the day, with services operated by Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways and SunExpress among those cancelled. Meanwhile, flights serving destinations across Greece, Spain and Italy were among those running behind schedule.
While delays and cancellations are not uncommon during the busy summer travel season, the concentration of affected routes has left many travellers checking flight statuses more frequently before heading to the airport.
Flights cancelled at Manchester Airport today
The most significant disruption involved flights connecting Manchester with Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Cancelled arrivals included Turkish Airlines flight TK1992 from Istanbul, due to land at 1.10pm, Etihad Airways flight EY074 from Abu Dhabi scheduled for 2.30pm, SunExpress flight XQ535 from Antalya due at 4.30pm, and Turkish Airlines flight TK1916 from Istanbul which was scheduled to arrive at 10.55pm.
Several departures were also removed from the schedule. Turkish Airlines flight TK1991 to Istanbul, Etihad Airways flight EY073 to Abu Dhabi, SunExpress flight XQ534 to Antalya and Turkish Airlines flight TK1915 to Istanbul were all cancelled.
The cancellations mean affected passengers may need to be rebooked onto alternative services, particularly those travelling on long-haul or international connections.
Passengers affected by delays or cancellations can review their rights through the UK Civil Aviation Authority passenger guidance, which explains airline responsibilities relating to refunds, rebooking and assistance during travel disruption.
Full list of delayed flights
Alongside the cancellations, a number of services were operating later than planned.
The largest reported delay among arrivals involved Aurigny flight GR678 from Guernsey, which was running around 89 minutes behind schedule.
- Aurigny GR678 from Guernsey – delayed by approximately 89 minutes
- Ryanair FR9077 from Rhodes – delayed by approximately 56 minutes
- easyJet U22054 from Mykonos – delayed by approximately 50 minutes
- easyJet U22074 from Santorini – delayed by approximately 41 minutes
- TUI BY2611 from Santorini – delayed by approximately 30 minutes
Departures were also affected, with delays reported on several popular leisure routes.
- easyJet U22124 to Rome Fiumicino – delayed by approximately 46 minutes
- easyJet U27265 to Palma – delayed by approximately 44 minutes
- Jet2 LS842 to Zakynthos – delayed by approximately 23 minutes
The delays highlight how operational issues can affect both incoming and outgoing aircraft, creating a chain reaction throughout the day.
Popular holiday destinations among affected routes
Many of the delayed and cancelled services were scheduled to operate between Manchester and major summer holiday hotspots.
Destinations such as Antalya, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Palma and Zakynthos remain among the most popular choices for UK travellers during the peak travel season. Even relatively short delays can have wider consequences for passengers with hotel transfers, cruise departures, connecting flights or pre-booked transport arrangements.
International routes often operate on tight schedules, meaning disruption in one location can impact aircraft movements across multiple airports during the same day.
Why flight delays happen
Although passengers often see delays as an airport issue, many factors influencing flight schedules occur far from the departure gate.
Weather conditions, air traffic control restrictions, aircraft rotation schedules and operational challenges across Europe can all contribute to delays. Airlines must also navigate changing airspace conditions, particularly on longer international routes.
Even strong headwinds on a long-haul journey can add significant time to a flight, affecting arrival times and creating knock-on delays for the aircraft’s next scheduled service.
Similar examples of airport disruption affecting passenger journeys have shown how quickly delays can spread through a travel network once schedules begin to slip.
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Advice for passengers travelling today
Passengers due to travel through Manchester Airport should continue monitoring airline apps, email notifications and official airport information channels before leaving home.
Anyone booked on a cancelled service should contact their airline directly regarding alternative flights, refunds or rebooking options. Those facing delays should allow extra time and stay alert for schedule updates throughout the day.
While the disruption is limited to specific flights rather than the entire airport operation, travellers on affected routes should expect potential schedule changes and check flight information regularly before travelling.
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