Heathrow getaway chaos as 90 flights are cancelled and 200 delayed due to ‘severe’ gales amid busiest Christmas travel season on record
Hundreds of passengers are facing Christmas travel chaos as 90 flights from Heathrow Airport are cancelled and 200 more delayed amid weather warnings for strong wind.
A Heathrow spokesperson said ‘a small number of flights’ have been cancelled on Saturday due to ‘strong winds and airspace restrictions’.
They added: ‘This will ensure the vast majority of passengers can still safely travel as planned.
‘We know how important travel at this time of year is and have extra colleagues on hand in our terminals to support people on their journeys.
‘We encourage passengers to check in with their airlines for the latest information about their flights’.
Currently, 33 flights from the west London airport have been axed today, and another 58 have already been cancelled for tomorrow.
Hundreds of passengers are facing Christmas travel chaos as 90 flights from Heathrow Airport are cancelled and 200 more delayed amid weather warnings for strong wind
A Heathrow spokesperson said ‘a small number of flights’ have been cancelled on Saturday due to ‘strong winds and airspace restrictions’
Currently, 33 flights from the west London airport have been axed today, and another 58 tomorrow.
It comes as a yellow warning for wind came into place today from 7am until 9pm on Sunday covering the North West, the North East, Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.
Westerly winds are forecast to pick up over Saturday with 50-60mph gusts expected, with a small chance of some reaching 80mph.
Sunday will see the South West also under the yellow warning.
The Met Office said: ‘The strongest winds are expected across the far north of Scotland on Saturday afternoon and evening, with the potential for gusts in excess of 80mph in coastal districts including Orkney.
‘Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard, especially in respect to causeways.
‘This period of strong winds may lead to some transport disruption, including ferry delays or cancellations.
‘Frequent blustery showers will also be a feature on Saturday and may merge into a longer spell of rain for a time in the far north and north west.’
Showers could turn to several centimetres of snow on the hills in the north west of Scotland from Saturday evening into Sunday.
Queues on the A102 Blackwall Tunnel approach in Greenwich South East London as the Christmas getaway begins
Passengers at London Euston station awaiting to leave London this morning
Long delays at the Port of Dover saw holidaymakers in long queues as they tried to board the ferry for the Christmas getaway
‘Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard, especially in respect to causeways’ the Met Office warned. Strong winds and rain in West Bay, Dorset
Showers could turn to several centimetres of snow on the hills in the north west of Scotland from Saturday evening into Sunday, the Met Office warned. Picture: People in the snow in Edinburgh, Scotland
The strong winds will be more widespread on Sunday, meteorologists said.
Some sleet, snow and hail may fall at lower levels and produce icy conditions by Sunday morning.
The delays and cancellations at Heathrow come after the airport had said earlier this week that it was bracing for the busiest Christmas period in history.
The airport said it was expecting the number of passengers travelling through its terminals on December 25 to be 21 per cent higher than on the same day a year ago.
Heathrow also predicted that the number of passengers for December will exceed the previous record of 6.7 million last year.
But air plane passengers are not the only ones bracing themselves for mayhem this weekend.
Drivers were warned that roads and public transport could be disrupted by the strong gusts, as 22.7 million motorists are expected to get away for Christmas today.
Long Delays at the Port of Dover saw holidaymakers in long queues as they tried to board the ferry for the Christmas getaway.
Meanwhile, passengers waited at St Pancras International station to get the Eurostar while others waited to board trains at Kings Cross Station for the festive season.
