Monday, November 21, 2011

Fog causes further cancellations and delays at UK airports

A thick blanket of fog has caused flights to be cancelled at Heathrow Airport this morning, following a host of similar cancellations on Sunday night.
Although the fog has begun to lift, the weather has continued to cause problems for UK airports, with many early-morning flights being grounded.
Thirty seven arriving flights and 23 departures were cancelled at Heathrow this morning, although the airport reported that conditions had since improved.
Grounded: Heathrow Airport was shrouded in thick fog this morning
Destinations affected included Manchester, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Brussels, Stockholm, Cologne and Nice.
A BAA spokesperson told TravelMail: ‘The fog is clearing and there are currently no restrictions on flying and no delays but we’re advising passengers to check with their airline.’
Thirteen arriving flights and 18 departing flights at London City Airport were also axed, with services to Dublin, Rotterdam and Paris among those hit.
Two arrivals were cancelled at Gatwick airport but the airport is now accepting diverted flights from other airports.
Norwich International airport is also experiencing delays and cancellations.
One flight scheduled to leave Leeds Bradford Airport was cancelled this morning. The 6.20am KLM service had been due to fly to Amsterdam, which has also been affected by fog.
Runways at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport had been closed this morning due to foggy weather and KLM issued a warning to passengers that some of their flights may be delayed or cancelled.
Travel chaos: The cancellations caused long queues at Heathrow's Terminal 5
The early-morning problems followed severe disruption to flights due to heavy fog on Sunday, with Heathrow having to cancel 81 departures and 65 arrivals.
The Met Office yesterday issued a severe weather warning for regions including London and the South-East, the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber and the east of England.
Hundreds of passengers had their journeys disrupted as fog grounded flights at London airports.
London City Airport said 44 flights were suspended and dozens delayed or diverted due to the poor weather, though all restrictions had been lifted by late last night.
There were also severe delays at Gatwick, however officials said there were only eight cancellations.
Weather warning: An airplane is pictured on the tarmac of the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam under heavy fog
On the roads, visibility was said to be less than 100 yards in some areas.
A man of 20 was killed after his car struck a garden wall in thick fog in Strood, Kent.
Two passengers were treated for minor injuries. The M25 was reduced to a 30mph zone as drivers struggled to get home.
And forecasters have predicted that wintry weather is on the way.
Temperatures are expected to remain mild until Thursday when frosts and gale force winds of up to 60mph will set in, forecasters said.
The UK is expected to experience temperatures of 8c (46f) across the country, and close to zero at night by the end of the week.
Snow will hit the UK by the end of the week, according to the Met Office, who forecast that the Scottish Highlands are likely to see snow on Thursday or Friday.
Met Office forecaster Steven Keates said: ‘Towards the end of the week it will definitely feel colder, particularly in the North.
‘Temperatures will be back to normal for this time of year.’
However forecasters said another freezing winter - which would be the third in a row - was unlikely.