Chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Richard Moriarty has written to airports and airlines urging them to collaborate and "manage resourcing challenges" to ensure disruption is "kept to a minimum".
The letter comes after airports such as Manchester and Stansted saw severe delays at security gates due to a lack of staff, while airlines including British Airways and easyJet were forced to ground a number of flights following an increase in staff sickness.
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham urged the government to prioritise granting security clearance for new staff at the UK’s largest airports in an attempt to reduce the delays.
In the letter, Moriarty said it was "very important" airlines set their own schedules on a "basis that is deliverable".
"Airlines need to be working particularly closely with their contractors, such as ground handlers, to have confidence that they have staffing in place to deliver your planned schedule," he continued.
"Where capacity is unavoidably restricted, we expect this co-operative planning to identify problems sufficiently in advance so as to allow pre-emptive cancellations.
"At a minimum, we would like to see passengers given notice so that they do not travel to airports unnecessarily and are able to make alternative arrangements where possible and appropriate."
Airlines were also reminded of their legal obligations to provide passengers with information about their rights when flights are disrupted, to provide care and assistance during the disruption and to offer passengers a choice of a refund or alternative travel.
"After the stress and constraints of the last two years, millions of UK consumers are looking forward to getting away, and I am sure that you share our vision for hassle-free, accessible air travel for 2022 and beyond," Moriarty added.
"As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic and consumers take advantage of the freedom to travel, instances of late notice cancellations and excessive delays at airports are not just distressing for affected consumers but have the potential to impact confidence levels across the industry, at just the point when passengers are returning to flying."
