LONDON: Thick fog grounded hundreds of flights at airports serving Britain’s capital yesterday, stranding thousands of travellers at one of the peak travel periods of the year.
The flight chaos looked set to continue today after British Airways said all domestic flights at London’s Heathrow airport and some European services had been cancelled and more planes might be grounded.
The airline said severe fog was expected to last for another 48 hours and forecasters at Britain’s Met Office warned there was a risk of fog hanging over the southeast of England during the Christmas period, continuing to next week.
About 500 people spent the night at Heathrow after British Airways cancelled all domestic and some European flights to and from the airport because of poor visibility.
Other and long-haul flights to the United States, Asia and other distant destinations operated by BA and other airlines were expected to face significant delays.
"I am too tired to be angry," said student Rob Evans, 23, who spent last night on the floor after arriving from Calgary to find his connecting flight to Hamburg was cancelled.
"It felt like the worst sleepover ever."
Heathrow, the world’s busiest international airport, was shrouded in fog for a second day, prompting air traffic controllers to impose tight restrictions on flights.
Passengers queued in the cold outside terminal buildings to find out if their flight would leave.
"It looks like I will be spending Christmas in London," said student Gianluca Longhi, 24, after his flight to Milan was cancelled. "I feel I will be stranded here indefinitely."
Airport operator BAA, which runs Heathrow and six other airports in Britain, warned of overcrowding and delays for people visiting families for Christmas or leaving on holiday.
Heathrow authorities offered passengers sleeping mats, blankets, food and hot drinks while warning that some may not get home for Christmas as the fog could last several days.
At least 350 of 1,300 flights at Heathrow were grounded.
"Christmas has been cancelled," said David Page, 43, a health worker from northern England after his flight to the Canary Islands was scrapped. "I’ll be spending a quiet Christmas in Derbyshire rather than on a beach in Gran Canaria."
Flights were cancelled at other British airports, including 30 in Scotland, as the disruption spread.
Earlier this year, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Heathrow after strict security measures were enforced after police said they had foiled a plot to blow up airliners.
Car hire firms at Heathrow’s Terminal One said they were running out of cars as people looked for other ways to travel.
"All of our 350 cars were snapped up this morning," a Hertz spokesman said. Alamo said it had no cars left there.
Hotels at Heathrow said bookings were up by nearly a third and the bad weather looked set to continue.
"There’s always going to be a risk of fog over the next few days," said a spokeswoman for Britain’s Met Office. "We’re going to keep the high pressure over the southeast up to the weekend and into next week." – Reuters
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