Tens of thousands of airline passengers endured long delays, diversions and cancellations as low cloud and fog blanketed southeast England – which has the busiest skies in the world.
The Independent has calculated that more than 200 flights to and from UK airports were cancelled between noon on Friday and Saturday evening as air traffic controllers slowed the “flow rate” at both London Heathrow and Gatwick.
It comes as forecasters indicated fog would linger across large areas of England and Wales, especially across southern areas, but conditions are expected to improve later on Saturday.
The two London airports are respectively the busiest two-runway and single-runway airports in the world, and depend on being able to run at full capacity in order to keep their intense schedules on track.
“Flight from Salzburg yesterday cancelled,” reported Chris Morris on X. “Rebooked flight already delayed three hours. Two young unhappy kids!”
His family was among an estimated 20,000 British Airways passengers whose flights have been grounded over the past two days at Heathrow, Gatwick and London City.
The worst-affected airport on Friday was Gatwick, where 48 departures and arrivals were grounded – half of them on easyJet.
Kiera Quayle, from Colchester in Essex, was due to fly from Isle of Man Airport to London Gatwick on Friday evening with her husband after visiting his family, but their flight was delayed by three hours before being cancelled entirely at around 10pm, with their next available journey on Sunday.
“Our five days have turned to seven, it looks like,” Ms Quayle said.
“It’s frustrating and stressful but I overheard a few families who are now missing holidays and work who have it worse at this point.”
Upwards of 40 flights were axed at each of London City and London Heathrow, where BA made most of the cancellations.
Manchester Airport had 22 cancellations, including six departures and arrivals serving Amsterdam on KLM.
Many flights were diverted on Friday, with the highest number at Teesside Airport in the northeast of England. Of the six scheduled arrivals on…
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