Heathrow Airport has already had about 130 flights cancelled today (October 28) due to heavy rain and high winds in the United Kingdom.
According to UK media reports, only four flights, however, have been cancelled at Gatwick, with Heathrow more severely affected. Anyone travelling in the area has been asked to check with their airline and keep up to date with the status of their flights.
British Airways has reduced schedules at Heathrow as per the airport’s request. Between 06h00 and 11h00 flights had been reduced by 20%. Between 11h00 and 16h00, flights have been reduced by 10% and between 16h00 and 22h30 by 5%. All the cancellations are for European and domestic flights at Heathrow where flight statuses can be checked here.
Long-haul flights into and out of Heathrow are currently planned to operate normally by British Airways as well as flights to and from London Gatwick and London City airports.
A BA spokesperson says: “The safety of our customers, employees and aircraft is always our top priority. Operating in high cross-winds both in the air and on the ground causes many extra challenges in how a busy airport operates. We would never operate aircraft or ground equipment unless we believe it is safe to do so.”
Those flying on BA have the option to rebook or receive a refund if flights are cancelled. Passengers travelling today to or from Heathrow, Gatwick or London City Airport may change the date and time of the flight for another service departing between October 29 and November 11.
Lufthansa has also released a statement explaining that flights to and from the UK might be delayed or cancelled. Flight statuses can be checked here. Passengers are also asked to plan for extra time when travelling to the airport.
SAA has not reported any international flight cancellations yet but flight statuses can be checked here.
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled some Virgin Atlantic Little Red domestic flights as well as one long-haul flight, with delays affecting some other flights. Virgin is urging travellers to check flight statuses and plan their journey to and from Heathrow and Gatwick in advance. There are a variety of rebooking and refund options for those with affected flights.
Heathrow has been keeping the public up to date with affected operations on Twitter. The latest report says the M25 spur to and from Terminal 5 is now open in both directions. Traffic was being diverted earlier due to the storm.
Travellers using Heathrow have been urged to check their flight statuses with airlines. A list of all airlines operating at Heathrow and their flight statuses can be found here.
Gatwick Airport has also advised passengers to check flight statuses beforehand due to the severe weather conditions. Flight statuses at Gatwick can be found on: www.gatwickairport.com
Road and rail networks are also expected to be disrupted across the UK, with train services experiencing delays. Passengers should allow extra time for their journey.
For other airlines, flight statuses can be checked on:
Air France/KLM
Qatar Airways
Emirates
