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Christmas travel chaos continues Christmas travel chaos continues
(about 2 hours later)
Christmas travellers endured a third day of misery as thick fog caused flight cancellations and delays, but the weather should improve on Saturday. Christmas travellers have endured a third day of misery as thick fog caused flight cancellations and delays, but the weather should improve on Saturday.
More than 300 flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Friday, including all British Airways domestic flights.More than 300 flights were cancelled at Heathrow on Friday, including all British Airways domestic flights.
BA plans to start domestic flights to and from Heathrow from midday on Saturday, and hopes to operate 95% of its services through the day. BA plans to start domestic flights to and from Heathrow from midday on Saturday, and hopes to operate 95% of its Heathrow services through the day.
Train firms provided extra services and the roads generally flowed on Friday.Train firms provided extra services and the roads generally flowed on Friday.
British Airways also said it hoped to operate 87% of short-haul flights on Saturday. BA hopes to operate 87% of short-haul flights on Saturday, and plans a full Heathrow service on Sunday, including resuming services to Paris and Brussels.
It plans a full Heathrow service on Sunday, including resuming services to Paris and Brussels.
BA criticisedBA criticised
The cancellations came about because of restrictions air traffic control placed on flights landing and taking off at Heathrow, because of the low visibility. In all, 411 flights were cancelled at Heathrow and other airports on Friday.
BAA, which runs several UK airports including Heathrow, laid on food and drink for passengers and facilities such as heated marquees, blankets, ponchos, towels and children's entertainment. About 40,000 people were affected, with many having to switch to roads and rail instead.
BA transported thousands of passengers to UK destinations from Heathrow by coach.
TRAVEL ADVICE British Airways customers should contact 0800 727 800 or check the www.britishairways.com website to see if their flight is still operatingTRAVEL ADVICE British Airways customers should contact 0800 727 800 or check the www.britishairways.com website to see if their flight is still operating
There is regular travel information on BBC News 24, BBC Radio Five Live and the BBC's local radio and regional TV news.There is regular travel information on BBC News 24, BBC Radio Five Live and the BBC's local radio and regional TV news.
This website will have updated advice and there are links to the BBC's travel and weather web sites below.
Travel advice at-a-glance BBC Travel BBC Weather		This website will have updated advice and there are links to the BBC's travel and weather web sites below.
Travel advice at-a-glance BBC Travel BBC Weather
But about 300 passengers slept at the airport on Thursday night. Network Rail said three million people travelled on nearly 20,000 trains - the entire national rolling stock.
And some passengers complained about having to join the queues at Heathrow, and others were trying to sleep whilst sitting at tables. The Highways Agency has suspended more than half of its 83 roadworks, and many rail engineering works are also being delayed until Christmas.
The flight cancellations came about after air traffic control placed restrictions on flights landing and taking off at Heathrow, because of the low visibility.
BAA, which runs several UK airports including Heathrow, laid on food and drink for passengers and facilities such as heated marquees, blankets, ponchos, towels and children's entertainment.
But some passengers complained about having to join the queues at Heathrow, and others were trying to sleep whilst sitting at tables.
"The fog is not in the sky so much as in the minds of the BA directors," said David Ranan, 60, whose flight from Heathrow to Munich was cancelled."The fog is not in the sky so much as in the minds of the BA directors," said David Ranan, 60, whose flight from Heathrow to Munich was cancelled.
BA transported thousands of passengers to UK destinations from Heathrow by coach on Thursday and Friday.
Thomsonfly departures from Coventry Airport were switched to Birmingham.
The fog also caused disruption at Cardiff and Southampton airports, and other regional airports suffered knock-on effects from Heathrow.
We have fundamental capacity constraints at Heathrow Simon Baugh, BAA Why is the fog so bad? Little cheer at Heathrow
Geoff Want, BA's director of ground operations, apologised to customers and said the airline was "working around the clock" to try to get people to their destinations.Geoff Want, BA's director of ground operations, apologised to customers and said the airline was "working around the clock" to try to get people to their destinations.
He said: "At this stage we are hopeful that the weather will improve slightly over the weekend and therefore we can get back to operating a full planned Christmas Eve schedule.
"We are doing all we can to help customers and continue to apologise for the disruption they have faced.
"We are drafting in extra staff from across the airline over the weekend to ensure that customers get to their final destinations before Christmas Day."
The airline says passengers whose flights have been cancelled are entitled to a full refund.The airline says passengers whose flights have been cancelled are entitled to a full refund.
Extra trains Jams possible
BMI, Heathrow's second-busiest airline, scrapped 40 flights on Thursday and about eight on Friday. Other airports, including Norwich, Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton, were also disrupted by fog, and other regional airports suffered knock-on effects from Heathrow, with flights to Heathrow being cancelled.
Chief executive Tim Bye said if necessary the airline would fly on Christmas Day to get people back home. Avoid BA, avoid BAA. Never seen anything less organised Andrew, Richmond href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5057&edition=1&ttl=20061221083702" class="">Have Your Say href="/1/hi/uk/6204475.stm" class="">Why is the fog so bad? href="/1/hi/uk/6203239.stm" class="">Little cheer at Heathrow
Many travellers turned to trains to complete their journeys.
Avoid BA, avoid BAA. Never seen anything less organised Andrew, Richmond Have Your Say
Virgin Trains and GNER, which both run services between London and Scotland, were offering extra trains.
Network Rail said passengers should contact National Rail Enquiries.
Edward Funnell, spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that rail services would cope.
"Many of the long-distance operators lay on extra services and we believe we will be able to cater for air passengers who wish to transfer to the trains, to get people away and home today but also tomorrow and Sunday."
Eurostar said its services to Europe were running as usual, but passengers were also warned to contact the company before travelling, to check if seats were available.
Road jams
Meanwhile forecasters at the BBC's Weather Centre said they were "reasonably confident" visibility would improve around Heathrow on Saturday, as the fog moved north.Meanwhile forecasters at the BBC's Weather Centre said they were "reasonably confident" visibility would improve around Heathrow on Saturday, as the fog moved north.
Motorists are being warned to expect delays on the roads
Most of England and Wales has been affected, with only the north of England, the south coast and parts of Cornwall escaping the fog on Friday.Most of England and Wales has been affected, with only the north of England, the south coast and parts of Cornwall escaping the fog on Friday.
People who have opted to travel by car could also face jams on major routes as last-minute Christmas-shoppers and people travelling home for the festive break head for the roads.People who have opted to travel by car could also face jams on major routes as last-minute Christmas-shoppers and people travelling home for the festive break head for the roads.
The RAC said an estimated 18 million people were expected to be driving over the next few days.The RAC said an estimated 18 million people were expected to be driving over the next few days.