This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6202349.stm
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Christmas travel chaos continues | Christmas travel chaos continues |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Christmas travellers are enduring a third day of misery as thick fog causes more flight cancellations and delays. | Christmas travellers are enduring a third day of misery as thick fog causes more flight cancellations and delays. |
| More than 300 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow, including all British Airways domestic flights, with 40,000 people expected to be affected. | More than 300 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow, including all British Airways domestic flights, with 40,000 people expected to be affected. |
| BA said it planned to start operating domestic services to and from Heathrow from midday on Saturday. | BA said it planned to start operating domestic services to and from Heathrow from midday on Saturday. |
| Train firms have laid on extra services to cope and the roads were generally flowing smoothly on Friday evening. | |
| BA's services from Heathrow to both Paris and Brussels will begin again on Christmas Eve, having been axed because of weather conditions. | BA's services from Heathrow to both Paris and Brussels will begin again on Christmas Eve, having been axed because of weather conditions. |
| The airline also said it hoped to operate 95% of its services on Saturday, including 87% of short-haul flights, and plans a full Heathrow service on Sunday. | The airline also said it hoped to operate 95% of its services on Saturday, including 87% of short-haul flights, and plans a full Heathrow service on Sunday. |
| Low visibility had caused air traffic control to place restrictions on flights landing and taking off at Heathrow, where 300 passengers slept at the airport overnight. | Low visibility had caused air traffic control to place restrictions on flights landing and taking off at Heathrow, where 300 passengers slept at the airport overnight. |
| TRAVEL ADVICE British Airways customers should contact 0800 727 800 or check the www.britishairways.com website to see if their flight is still operating | TRAVEL 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 |
| One traveller waiting for news of their flight at Heathrow said: "I've been here basically since Wednesday night, and I got rebooked three times and all my flights have been cancelled so far. | One traveller waiting for news of their flight at Heathrow said: "I've been here basically since Wednesday night, and I got rebooked three times and all my flights have been cancelled so far. |
| "So right now it's Friday morning and I don't know how much longer I'm going to stay here." | "So right now it's Friday morning and I don't know how much longer I'm going to stay here." |
| The BBC's Lucy Wilkins at Heathrow Airport said queues of people continued to file into the heated marquees set up in Terminal One, hoping to have their cancelled flights rescheduled. | The BBC's Lucy Wilkins at Heathrow Airport said queues of people continued to file into the heated marquees set up in Terminal One, hoping to have their cancelled flights rescheduled. |
| Some were optimistic they may leave soon, while others were resigned to a long wait for news of their onward journey. | Some were optimistic they may leave soon, while others were resigned to a long wait for news of their onward journey. |
| BA transported about 3,000 passengers to UK destinations from Heathrow by coach on Thursday. | BA transported about 3,000 passengers to UK destinations from Heathrow by coach on Thursday. |
| And the airline was laying on similar services again to Newcastle, Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh on Friday. | And the airline was laying on similar services again to Newcastle, Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh on Friday. |
| Thomsonfly departures from Coventry Airport have been switched to Birmingham due to fog, which has also caused disruption at Cardiff and Southampton airports. | Thomsonfly departures from Coventry Airport have been switched to Birmingham due to fog, which has also caused disruption at Cardiff and Southampton airports. |
| Other regional airports have suffered knock-on effects from Heathrow. | Other regional airports have suffered knock-on effects from Heathrow. |
| Geoff Want, BA's director of ground operations, apologised to customers and said that 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 that the airline was "working around the clock" to try to get people to their destinations. |
| The airline has announced that passengers whose flights have been cancelled are entitled to a full refund. | The airline has announced that passengers whose flights have been cancelled are entitled to a full refund. |
| A spokesman said BA "felt it was the right thing to do". | A spokesman said BA "felt it was the right thing to do". |
| Backlog | Backlog |
| BMI, Heathrow's second-busiest airline, has cancelled eight flights so far, adding to the 40 scrapped on Thursday. | BMI, Heathrow's second-busiest airline, has cancelled eight flights so far, adding to the 40 scrapped on Thursday. |
| Chief executive Tim Bye said if necessary the airline would fly on Christmas Day to get people back home. | Chief executive Tim Bye said if necessary the airline would fly on Christmas Day to get people back home. |
| We have fundamental capacity constraints at Heathrow Simon Baugh, BAA Why is the fog so bad? Little cheer at Heathrow | We have fundamental capacity constraints at Heathrow Simon Baugh, BAA Why is the fog so bad? Little cheer at Heathrow |
| But Simon Baugh, from airports operator BAA, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the main problem at Heathrow was one of capacity. | But Simon Baugh, from airports operator BAA, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the main problem at Heathrow was one of capacity. |
| He added: "It's the world's busiest international airport, we only have two runways, if you compare our main competitors in Europe, Frankfurt has three, Paris has four, Amsterdam has five. | He added: "It's the world's busiest international airport, we only have two runways, if you compare our main competitors in Europe, Frankfurt has three, Paris has four, Amsterdam has five. |
| "We have fundamental capacity constraints at Heathrow." | "We have fundamental capacity constraints at Heathrow." |
| Extra runway | Extra runway |
| With flights cancelled, many travellers have turned to trains to complete their journeys. | With flights cancelled, many travellers have turned to trains to complete their journeys. |
| Avoid BA, avoid BAA. Never seen anything less organised Andrew, Richmond Have Your Say | 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, have announced they will be offering extra trains. | Virgin Trains and GNER, which both run services between London and Scotland, have announced they will be offering extra trains. |
| Network Rail said there were still some seats available on other services and advised passengers to contact National Rail Enquiries. | Network Rail said there were still some seats available on other services and advised passengers to contact National Rail Enquiries. |
| Edward Funnell, spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies, told Today that rail services would cope. | Edward Funnell, spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies, told Today 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." | "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. | 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 | Road jams |
| Meanwhile forecasters at the BBC's Weather Centre said forecasters were now "reasonably confident" visibility would improve around Heathrow on Saturday, as the fog moved north. | Meanwhile forecasters at the BBC's Weather Centre said forecasters were now "reasonably confident" visibility would improve around Heathrow on Saturday, as the fog moved north. |
| Motorists are being warned to expect delays on the roads | 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 18m people were expected to be driving over the next few days with the rush hour on Friday expected to start at 2pm and last until 7pm. | The RAC said an estimated 18m people were expected to be driving over the next few days with the rush hour on Friday expected to start at 2pm and last until 7pm. |