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| Flight delays as fog hits UK airports | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dozens of flights travelling to and from UK airports have been cancelled or delayed after fog hit the south east of the UK. | |
| Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Southampton and Cardiff airports all warned passengers to check with their airlines before travelling. | |
| Drivers were urged to take care as the Met Office warned of low visibility. | Drivers were urged to take care as the Met Office warned of low visibility. |
| Meanwhile, Public Health England (PHE) warned that temperatures could plummet as low as -5C on New Year's Day. | |
| Keep up to date with traffic and weather news on the BBC: | Keep up to date with traffic and weather news on the BBC: |
| Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said Friday's lingering, freezing fog had lingered overnight. | Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said Friday's lingering, freezing fog had lingered overnight. |
| He added: "We think it will gradually improve throughout the morning but it will be a slow process." | He added: "We think it will gradually improve throughout the morning but it will be a slow process." |
| Some patches of fog could persist into Saturday evening "but not so much, not as widespread or as dense". | Some patches of fog could persist into Saturday evening "but not so much, not as widespread or as dense". |
| 'Very heavy fog' | 'Very heavy fog' |
| A spokeswoman for Gatwick Airport, which cancelled 140 flights flights on Friday, said: "Unfortunately we are still experiencing very heavy fog across the south east." | A spokeswoman for Gatwick Airport, which cancelled 140 flights flights on Friday, said: "Unfortunately we are still experiencing very heavy fog across the south east." |
| She said a number of crew members had been displaced by Friday's cancellations, which may be contributing to the further delays. | She said a number of crew members had been displaced by Friday's cancellations, which may be contributing to the further delays. |
| More than a dozen easyJet flights were delayed for over an hour on Saturday morning, she added. | More than a dozen easyJet flights were delayed for over an hour on Saturday morning, she added. |
| Though Gatwick is not experiencing any further cancellations, the airport "strongly advises" people to contact their airline before travelling. | Though Gatwick is not experiencing any further cancellations, the airport "strongly advises" people to contact their airline before travelling. |
| A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said 45 flights had been cancelled on Saturday after being displaced by Friday's fog. | A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said 45 flights had been cancelled on Saturday after being displaced by Friday's fog. |
| He said there were no further cancellations due to Saturday's weather conditions but warned there might be some delays. | He said there were no further cancellations due to Saturday's weather conditions but warned there might be some delays. |
| London City Airport also warned Friday's fog had led to some cancellations on Saturday, but told travellers on Twitter that it was "operating normally today". | London City Airport also warned Friday's fog had led to some cancellations on Saturday, but told travellers on Twitter that it was "operating normally today". |
| Southampton Airport in Hampshire and Cardiff Airport also reported disruption due to fog on Saturday morning and advised passengers to check their flights. | |
| 'Explosive' frustration | |
| British Airways passenger Alexander McNabb and his wife Sarah's flight from Belfast to Heathrow has been delayed by more than 24 hours. | |
| Mr McNabb, who is due to spend New Year's Eve with family before flying home to Dubai, told the BBC his frustration was "explosive". | |
| He said: "Our flight was cancelled and we were given an awful handwritten note with the wrong contact number on it, and a £5 compensation voucher." | |
| After exhausting every customer helpline with no luck, Mr McNabb finally got a response from BA through Twitter. | |
| "They told us to come back to the airport at 6am, so we got up early. We checked in. Then it turns out there's a plane but no crew... And we've been delayed until 5.30pm. | |
| "They gave us another £5 voucher for breakfast... We're checked in and trapped in." | |
| A spokesman for BA apologised for Mr McNabb's delay, blaming Friday's fog for putting crews and aircraft out of position. | |
| Meanwhile, Highways England said the foggy conditions of recent days underlined the importance of driving to the conditions. | Meanwhile, Highways England said the foggy conditions of recent days underlined the importance of driving to the conditions. |
| Seventeen people were injured on Friday after a coach veered off a motorway slip road and overturned in heavy fog in Oxfordshire. | Seventeen people were injured on Friday after a coach veered off a motorway slip road and overturned in heavy fog in Oxfordshire. |
| A spokesman for Highways England said: "Fog can come very quickly so it's important to leave plenty of space. | A spokesman for Highways England said: "Fog can come very quickly so it's important to leave plenty of space. |
| "The thing that's really important to remember is when it's wet it does take twice as long to stop." | "The thing that's really important to remember is when it's wet it does take twice as long to stop." |
| On the railways a fresh strike by Southern Rail conductors is causing widespread disruption for travellers. | On the railways a fresh strike by Southern Rail conductors is causing widespread disruption for travellers. |
| Parent firm Govia Thameslink (GTR) has urged people to check travel information because some New Year's Eve services will finish early. | Parent firm Govia Thameslink (GTR) has urged people to check travel information because some New Year's Eve services will finish early. |