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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Heathrow fire: Scotland fans stuck in Greece 'staying for a party' | Heathrow fire: Scotland fans stuck in Greece 'staying for a party' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Gavin Keith and Edith Stewart said they were not confident they would get home by tomorrow. | Gavin Keith and Edith Stewart said they were not confident they would get home by tomorrow. |
| Scotland fans have been stuck in Athens following the side's 1-0 win over Greece after a fire near London's Heathrow grounded all flights. | Scotland fans have been stuck in Athens following the side's 1-0 win over Greece after a fire near London's Heathrow grounded all flights. |
| Supporters returning to Scotland from the Greek capital have had to find alternative routes home via Dublin, Milan and Istanbul due to disruption caused by an electrical substation blaze. | Supporters returning to Scotland from the Greek capital have had to find alternative routes home via Dublin, Milan and Istanbul due to disruption caused by an electrical substation blaze. |
| British Airways services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness to Heathrow - which is Europe's busiest airport - have also been affected. | British Airways services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness to Heathrow - which is Europe's busiest airport - have also been affected. |
| But the Tartan Army remain in good spirits as a result of the side's victory - with some saying they'll stay in Greece for a celebration. | But the Tartan Army remain in good spirits as a result of the side's victory - with some saying they'll stay in Greece for a celebration. |
| Passengers are advised to check whether their flights have been affected and contact the airline for further details. | Passengers are advised to check whether their flights have been affected and contact the airline for further details. |
| 'Chance you take' | 'Chance you take' |
| Gavin Keith and Edith Stewart, from Aberdeen, only found out about the disruption when they woke up in Athens on Friday morning. | Gavin Keith and Edith Stewart, from Aberdeen, only found out about the disruption when they woke up in Athens on Friday morning. |
| They were part of a group booking back to Aberdeen via Heathrow on a BA service. | They were part of a group booking back to Aberdeen via Heathrow on a BA service. |
| They have since been told they will be on a 17:00 flight to Heathrow, but are not confident that will go ahead. | They have since been told they will be on a 17:00 flight to Heathrow, but are not confident that will go ahead. |
| However they remain in good spirits. | However they remain in good spirits. |
| "If we can't get out of here tonight, we'll stay for a party," Edith said. | "If we can't get out of here tonight, we'll stay for a party," Edith said. |
| "It's the chance you take when you are travelling. I would prefer to get home tonight or tomorrow because I have commitments at home. | "It's the chance you take when you are travelling. I would prefer to get home tonight or tomorrow because I have commitments at home. |
| "We know Heathrow is shut all day, the airlines are giving us the next available flight, but it's just a case of waiting." | "We know Heathrow is shut all day, the airlines are giving us the next available flight, but it's just a case of waiting." |
| BBC journalist Thomas Mackintosh had been due to fly into Heathrow after watching the victory at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. | BBC journalist Thomas Mackintosh had been due to fly into Heathrow after watching the victory at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. |
| He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland fellow fans had been looking for alternative ways to get home. | He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland fellow fans had been looking for alternative ways to get home. |
| He said: "We've heard some pretty wacky routes so far from friends of ours. Some are going via Dublin, some are going via Rome, Milan, Istanbul I've heard as well. | He said: "We've heard some pretty wacky routes so far from friends of ours. Some are going via Dublin, some are going via Rome, Milan, Istanbul I've heard as well. |
| "It's inconvenient for sure, but it can't be helped at the minute and the Greek authorities have been really helpful. | "It's inconvenient for sure, but it can't be helped at the minute and the Greek authorities have been really helpful. |
| "Fortunately we have been able to book on another flight, but that has come at a bit of an expense, about €500 (£418)." | "Fortunately we have been able to book on another flight, but that has come at a bit of an expense, about €500 (£418)." |
| Graeme Shinny from Aberdeen has paid £500 for a flight from Athens to Dublin at 21:30. | |
| He'll arrive in Ireland at around midnight before an overnight stay in the airport. | |
| He told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "I've made the most of my extra day in Athens, I have done a bit of sightseeing and bumped into lots of people in the same boat as me. | |
| "Some aren't in a particular rush to get back. For me, I had to get back." | |
| He hopes to be back in Aberdeen at 09:30 on Saturday in time for the Scotland v Greece second leg on Sunday and his son's birthday on Monday. | |
| BBC journalist Tom Mackintosh speaks from Greece after flight cancellation | |
| Scott McTominay scored the only goal of the match as Steve Clarke's side claimed a vital first leg win in the tie. | Scott McTominay scored the only goal of the match as Steve Clarke's side claimed a vital first leg win in the tie. |
| Greece visit Hampden on Sunday for the return leg. | Greece visit Hampden on Sunday for the return leg. |
| Paige Mackintosh, who was also at Athens Airport, said from her point of view half the Tartan Army were still in bed when the Heathrow news broke. | Paige Mackintosh, who was also at Athens Airport, said from her point of view half the Tartan Army were still in bed when the Heathrow news broke. |
| "Everyone is in quite good spirits," she said. "I think because it's not like a baggage strike. | "Everyone is in quite good spirits," she said. "I think because it's not like a baggage strike. |
| "It was a really good game, a really good build up that we had." | "It was a really good game, a really good build up that we had." |
| A fire at an electrical substation in West London has forced a total shutdown at Heathrow Airport | A fire at an electrical substation in West London has forced a total shutdown at Heathrow Airport |
| More than 1,300 flights will be disrupted after a transformer within the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire in west London. | More than 1,300 flights will be disrupted after a transformer within the North Hyde electrical substation caught fire in west London. |
| It caused a power outage at the airport, with flights grounded as a result for safety reasons. | It caused a power outage at the airport, with flights grounded as a result for safety reasons. |
| The backlog is expected to last several days. | The backlog is expected to last several days. |
| About 120 flights to the airport were in the air when the closure was announced. | About 120 flights to the airport were in the air when the closure was announced. |
| They were diverted to various locations across the UK and Europe, including a flight from JFK, which landed at Glasgow Airport. | They were diverted to various locations across the UK and Europe, including a flight from JFK, which landed at Glasgow Airport. |
| A spokesperson for Heathrow said they did not know when electrical supplies would be restored. | A spokesperson for Heathrow said they did not know when electrical supplies would be restored. |
| Travel writer Simon Calder told Good Morning Scotland the scale of the shutdown was the largest since the Icelandic volcano eruption in 2010. | Travel writer Simon Calder told Good Morning Scotland the scale of the shutdown was the largest since the Icelandic volcano eruption in 2010. |
| BA flights between Scotland and London's Heathrow airport have been cancelled due to a fire | BA flights between Scotland and London's Heathrow airport have been cancelled due to a fire |
| A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said 10 outbound and 12 inbound services had been affected by the fire. | A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said 10 outbound and 12 inbound services had been affected by the fire. |
| They added that BA flights were the only services to be grounded and all others were operating normally. | They added that BA flights were the only services to be grounded and all others were operating normally. |
| About 2,800 passengers are understood to be affected. | About 2,800 passengers are understood to be affected. |
| Glasgow Airport has activated its "plan 39" protocol, meaning spare slots at the airport are allocated based on need. | Glasgow Airport has activated its "plan 39" protocol, meaning spare slots at the airport are allocated based on need. |
| Glasgow has taken five flights in this morning, two from Virgin Atlantic and three BA transatlantic services. | Glasgow has taken five flights in this morning, two from Virgin Atlantic and three BA transatlantic services. |
| A spokesperson for AGS Airports, which operates Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports, said: "Our airports are operating as normal apart from all flights to and from London Heathrow which have been cancelled for the remainder of the day. | A spokesperson for AGS Airports, which operates Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports, said: "Our airports are operating as normal apart from all flights to and from London Heathrow which have been cancelled for the remainder of the day. |
| "Any passenger scheduled to fly to Heathrow should contact their airline directly before travelling to the airport" | "Any passenger scheduled to fly to Heathrow should contact their airline directly before travelling to the airport" |
| Scotland fans travelling back from the Nations League play off in Greece are among the passengers affected | Scotland fans travelling back from the Nations League play off in Greece are among the passengers affected |
| Meanwhile, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), which runs Inverness Airport, confirmed the 10:00 arrival from Heathrow and the 11:05 departure to the airport were cancelled. | Meanwhile, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), which runs Inverness Airport, confirmed the 10:00 arrival from Heathrow and the 11:05 departure to the airport were cancelled. |
| HIAL also said planned arrivals and departures from Dundee Airport to Heathrow on LoganAir had been cancelled. | HIAL also said planned arrivals and departures from Dundee Airport to Heathrow on LoganAir had been cancelled. |
| All airports will be liaising with the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) about accepting flight diversions throughout the day. | All airports will be liaising with the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) about accepting flight diversions throughout the day. |
| Refund or reroute | Refund or reroute |
| Rory Boland, editor of Which? travel said passengers may not be entitled to compensation if their flight was cancelled. | Rory Boland, editor of Which? travel said passengers may not be entitled to compensation if their flight was cancelled. |
| However they may be able to claim a refund for the flight and parking fees through their insurance provider. | However they may be able to claim a refund for the flight and parking fees through their insurance provider. |
| He said: "Passengers will have the choice of being rerouted or accepting a refund, and if you opt for the former, your airline is obliged to get you on a new flight as soon as possible, including with rival carriers from alternative airports. | He said: "Passengers will have the choice of being rerouted or accepting a refund, and if you opt for the former, your airline is obliged to get you on a new flight as soon as possible, including with rival carriers from alternative airports. |
| "If you instead accept a refund, be aware that your airline will have no further duty of care to you and you'll need to make your own arrangements. | "If you instead accept a refund, be aware that your airline will have no further duty of care to you and you'll need to make your own arrangements. |
| "It's also worth checking the terms of your travel insurance to see if you are able to recoup any other expenses you may have incurred as a result of this incident, such as car hire or airport parking fees." | "It's also worth checking the terms of your travel insurance to see if you are able to recoup any other expenses you may have incurred as a result of this incident, such as car hire or airport parking fees." |