John
12-19-2010, 10:35 PM
Heathrow, the UK's busiest airport, is closed to all inbound flights while only a handful of departures are being allowed.
On what is usually the airlines' busiest day of the festive getaway hundreds of flights across Britain and Europe have either been cancelled or are subject to delays, with stranded passengers becoming increasingly angry about their situation.
"From what I've been told it's a nightmare in there," said Sky reporter Mark Stone.
"There are several hundred people queuing in terminal 5 trying to find out what flights are taking off. There are no hotel rooms around here.
"There is a complete lack of communication. BAA is telling us the airport is shut while BA says you should turn up if you have a confirmed flight."
There are also problems on the railways tonight.
Rail services between Kings Cross and Peterborough have been suspended because of a power failure and East Coast ticket holders are advised not to travel.
Heathrow says no flights will leave from terminals 1 or 4 today with only limited departures from terminals 3 and 5.
The airport is not accepting any new plane arrivals and passengers have been told to check with their airlines before leaving home.
Thwarted travellers from around the country have sent Sky News photos of the chaos inside terminals, as passengers try to sleep beneath thermal blankets and makeshift beds.
Passengers have complained of airlines and airport staff not being able to provide information about flight delays, while friends and families have slammed airline websites for not providing updates.
Other disgruntled people have complained bitterly about airline enquiry numbers that are constantly engaged or not answered.
But Andrew Teacher, a spokesman for Heathrow operator BAA, told Sky News that airport staff were working flat out to ensure passengers were being helped.
"We're ensuring that customers have blankets, food and water, we've switched on free wi-fi so people can connect with loved ones and check flight information, and given out thousands of vouchers to enable people to buy food," he said.
"Airlines have also arranged hotels where possible to get people more comfortable and out of the terminals while we wait for more information on flights taking off."
He said BAA was extremely sorry for the disruption but safety is their first priority.
"The problem we've had today is that temperatures have dropped quite considerably and will continue to drop through the night, which means there is ice developing.
"It's simply down to the weather conditions and about keeping people safe."
Terminal 5 airline BA announced limited planned departures today, including BA207, BA279, BA117, BA982, BA740, BA962 and BA346.
BA warned: "All other long and shorthaul British Airways flights from London Heathrow today before 18:00 are cancelled as a result of the closure. Please do not to come to the airport unless you are flying on one of the above services today."
Gatwick is open but staff warned of delays because of the impact of weather across Europe.
Passengers are urged to check with their airlines before travelling.
"While Gatwick's runway remains open, the impact on airline operations across Europe will inevitably lead to delays and cancellations today," a spokesman said.
"Today is Gatwick's busiest day of the festive getaway and we are doing everything we can to get passengers on their way and aircraft in the air. However, passengers must check with their airline before setting out for the airport to reduce congestion and avoid disappointment.
"We also advise that passengers check with transport operators before planning their journey to the airport."
The airport said 130 flights have departed and 120 had arrived by Sunday evening.
As at Heathrow, Gatwick passengers hoping to depart were forced to sleep inside the terminals.
Temperatures are predicted to plummet again tonight with more snow expected.
The South, including London, Wales and the Midlands could all be hit again on Monday afternoon and evening with warnings in force for severe weather today in Yorkshire, northeast England and eastern Scotland.
Forecasters are predicting another freezing week and some parts of the UK could see record cold temperatures. The previous record of -26.C was set in Shropshire in 1982.
Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "Snow will push into Cornwall and Devon and that could give some tricky conditions for the morning rush-hour tomorrow.
"This belt is expected to push north and east into Wales, the Midlands and the rest of southern England with 5 to 10cms possible at lower levels.
"With clearning skies and snow cover, there is a possibility on Tuesday night we could see temperatures falling close to the record."
:: Click here for live travel updates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Road travellers have sent photos of gridlocked roads and large snow drifts, while others have complained about a lack of grit trucks and snow ploughs on main routes.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond told Sky News that the Highways Agency had confirmed all strategic roads were open and had been gritted.
He added: "We have got adequate supplies of salt, public transport networks are working with reduced levels of services, which you'd expect in conditions like this.
"The priority for transport operators is to get routes cleared and get services back to normal in time for the Monday morning travel to work period."
Many road travellers, however, claimed gritters were not being fully utilised.
The Met Office said Saturday's snow was heavy for several hours and gave the heaviest fall of 20cm at Farnborough.
About 9cm fell at Heathrow and London saw between 5-10cm with higher values in places.
Temperatures on Saturday night dropped overnight with a low down to -18.4C in Pershore, Gloucestershire.
Eastern Scotland is expected to be hit by a fresh blast of Arctic wind today and the south of England near the coast is warned of further snow falls.
Wales, northern Scotland and Northern Ireland - which has experienced its heaviest snow for 25 years - have also received warnings.
As well as disruption at Heathrow and Gatwick, there are also problems at other regional airports.
Click here for phone numbers and websites of airlines operating out of Heathrow.
There is disruption at Exeter, London City, Aberdeen and Cardiff airports.
Southampton airport has reopened but is warning of delays.
Belfast International Airport says delays and cancellations are expected through the day.
Glasgow airport remains open but there are delays and cancellations.
Travel across Europe has been hit with airports in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark experiencing problems, and snow caused road chaos in Italy.
Some flights heading across the Atlantic have also been diverted to Iceland, with passengers put up in hotels.
A driver who died after his Mini collided with a lorry near Eastbourne, East Sussex, on Friday, has been named as Daniel Martin, 31.
Two women - Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20 - died after being hit by a Range Rover in Glasgow city centre on Friday.
Police launched an inquiry into their deaths and appealed for witnesses.
A 17-year-old boy was killed when his car ploughed off the road in Bilsington, Kent, and a woman in her 60s died in a three-vehicle pile-up in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
Emergency roadside services have dealt with more than double the number of call-outs - peaking at 1,200 every hour - during the big freeze.
Train services are almost back to nomal although there are some disruptions to today's services.
Travellers are advised to contact Network Rail inquiries for the latest details.
Transport for London says some Tube line services are experiencing delays.
National Express says it is running a reduced service because many of its vehicles are out of position.
Eurostar is operating with a speed restriction, with journeys to the continent taking up to an hour longer than usual as a result.
Sport is also being hit with dozens of football league matches cancelled yesterday and today.
Chelsea's Premier League match against Manchester United today is the highest profile sporting casualty of the cold spell.
Shoppers have had mixed fortunes as the snow forced many to abandon their trips, while others managed to pick up bargains on the last weekend before Christmas.
Experts are predicting it to be the coldest December on record, with a current average temperature of minus 0.7C - five degrees below the long-term average.
Source - Yahoo News.
On what is usually the airlines' busiest day of the festive getaway hundreds of flights across Britain and Europe have either been cancelled or are subject to delays, with stranded passengers becoming increasingly angry about their situation.
"From what I've been told it's a nightmare in there," said Sky reporter Mark Stone.
"There are several hundred people queuing in terminal 5 trying to find out what flights are taking off. There are no hotel rooms around here.
"There is a complete lack of communication. BAA is telling us the airport is shut while BA says you should turn up if you have a confirmed flight."
There are also problems on the railways tonight.
Rail services between Kings Cross and Peterborough have been suspended because of a power failure and East Coast ticket holders are advised not to travel.
Heathrow says no flights will leave from terminals 1 or 4 today with only limited departures from terminals 3 and 5.
The airport is not accepting any new plane arrivals and passengers have been told to check with their airlines before leaving home.
Thwarted travellers from around the country have sent Sky News photos of the chaos inside terminals, as passengers try to sleep beneath thermal blankets and makeshift beds.
Passengers have complained of airlines and airport staff not being able to provide information about flight delays, while friends and families have slammed airline websites for not providing updates.
Other disgruntled people have complained bitterly about airline enquiry numbers that are constantly engaged or not answered.
But Andrew Teacher, a spokesman for Heathrow operator BAA, told Sky News that airport staff were working flat out to ensure passengers were being helped.
"We're ensuring that customers have blankets, food and water, we've switched on free wi-fi so people can connect with loved ones and check flight information, and given out thousands of vouchers to enable people to buy food," he said.
"Airlines have also arranged hotels where possible to get people more comfortable and out of the terminals while we wait for more information on flights taking off."
He said BAA was extremely sorry for the disruption but safety is their first priority.
"The problem we've had today is that temperatures have dropped quite considerably and will continue to drop through the night, which means there is ice developing.
"It's simply down to the weather conditions and about keeping people safe."
Terminal 5 airline BA announced limited planned departures today, including BA207, BA279, BA117, BA982, BA740, BA962 and BA346.
BA warned: "All other long and shorthaul British Airways flights from London Heathrow today before 18:00 are cancelled as a result of the closure. Please do not to come to the airport unless you are flying on one of the above services today."
Gatwick is open but staff warned of delays because of the impact of weather across Europe.
Passengers are urged to check with their airlines before travelling.
"While Gatwick's runway remains open, the impact on airline operations across Europe will inevitably lead to delays and cancellations today," a spokesman said.
"Today is Gatwick's busiest day of the festive getaway and we are doing everything we can to get passengers on their way and aircraft in the air. However, passengers must check with their airline before setting out for the airport to reduce congestion and avoid disappointment.
"We also advise that passengers check with transport operators before planning their journey to the airport."
The airport said 130 flights have departed and 120 had arrived by Sunday evening.
As at Heathrow, Gatwick passengers hoping to depart were forced to sleep inside the terminals.
Temperatures are predicted to plummet again tonight with more snow expected.
The South, including London, Wales and the Midlands could all be hit again on Monday afternoon and evening with warnings in force for severe weather today in Yorkshire, northeast England and eastern Scotland.
Forecasters are predicting another freezing week and some parts of the UK could see record cold temperatures. The previous record of -26.C was set in Shropshire in 1982.
Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "Snow will push into Cornwall and Devon and that could give some tricky conditions for the morning rush-hour tomorrow.
"This belt is expected to push north and east into Wales, the Midlands and the rest of southern England with 5 to 10cms possible at lower levels.
"With clearning skies and snow cover, there is a possibility on Tuesday night we could see temperatures falling close to the record."
:: Click here for live travel updates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Road travellers have sent photos of gridlocked roads and large snow drifts, while others have complained about a lack of grit trucks and snow ploughs on main routes.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond told Sky News that the Highways Agency had confirmed all strategic roads were open and had been gritted.
He added: "We have got adequate supplies of salt, public transport networks are working with reduced levels of services, which you'd expect in conditions like this.
"The priority for transport operators is to get routes cleared and get services back to normal in time for the Monday morning travel to work period."
Many road travellers, however, claimed gritters were not being fully utilised.
The Met Office said Saturday's snow was heavy for several hours and gave the heaviest fall of 20cm at Farnborough.
About 9cm fell at Heathrow and London saw between 5-10cm with higher values in places.
Temperatures on Saturday night dropped overnight with a low down to -18.4C in Pershore, Gloucestershire.
Eastern Scotland is expected to be hit by a fresh blast of Arctic wind today and the south of England near the coast is warned of further snow falls.
Wales, northern Scotland and Northern Ireland - which has experienced its heaviest snow for 25 years - have also received warnings.
As well as disruption at Heathrow and Gatwick, there are also problems at other regional airports.
Click here for phone numbers and websites of airlines operating out of Heathrow.
There is disruption at Exeter, London City, Aberdeen and Cardiff airports.
Southampton airport has reopened but is warning of delays.
Belfast International Airport says delays and cancellations are expected through the day.
Glasgow airport remains open but there are delays and cancellations.
Travel across Europe has been hit with airports in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark experiencing problems, and snow caused road chaos in Italy.
Some flights heading across the Atlantic have also been diverted to Iceland, with passengers put up in hotels.
A driver who died after his Mini collided with a lorry near Eastbourne, East Sussex, on Friday, has been named as Daniel Martin, 31.
Two women - Mhairi Convy, 18, and Laura Stewart, 20 - died after being hit by a Range Rover in Glasgow city centre on Friday.
Police launched an inquiry into their deaths and appealed for witnesses.
A 17-year-old boy was killed when his car ploughed off the road in Bilsington, Kent, and a woman in her 60s died in a three-vehicle pile-up in Huntly, Aberdeenshire.
Emergency roadside services have dealt with more than double the number of call-outs - peaking at 1,200 every hour - during the big freeze.
Train services are almost back to nomal although there are some disruptions to today's services.
Travellers are advised to contact Network Rail inquiries for the latest details.
Transport for London says some Tube line services are experiencing delays.
National Express says it is running a reduced service because many of its vehicles are out of position.
Eurostar is operating with a speed restriction, with journeys to the continent taking up to an hour longer than usual as a result.
Sport is also being hit with dozens of football league matches cancelled yesterday and today.
Chelsea's Premier League match against Manchester United today is the highest profile sporting casualty of the cold spell.
Shoppers have had mixed fortunes as the snow forced many to abandon their trips, while others managed to pick up bargains on the last weekend before Christmas.
Experts are predicting it to be the coldest December on record, with a current average temperature of minus 0.7C - five degrees below the long-term average.
Source - Yahoo News.