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Cold weather causes travel chaos Cold weather causes travel chaos
(40 minutes later)
Thousands of people face further disruption to their Christmas travel plans as cold weather continues to grip much of the country.Thousands of people face further disruption to their Christmas travel plans as cold weather continues to grip much of the country.
BA cancelled all short-haul flights out of Heathrow while Eurostar passengers in London queued round the block.BA cancelled all short-haul flights out of Heathrow while Eurostar passengers in London queued round the block.
BAA has apologised for spoiling so many people's Christmases but Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation was a "safety-first business".BAA has apologised for spoiling so many people's Christmases but Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation was a "safety-first business".
The Met has warned of more snow and ice in parts of the UK overnight. The Met Office has warned of more snow and ice in parts of the UK overnight.
Heathrow airport officials told passengers with flights scheduled to depart from terminals 1 or 3 not to travel to the airport as extreme congestion meant no more passengers were being accepted into the buildings.Heathrow airport officials told passengers with flights scheduled to depart from terminals 1 or 3 not to travel to the airport as extreme congestion meant no more passengers were being accepted into the buildings.
They added that no more than a third of all flights would operate until 0600 GMT on Wednesday and warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations, possibly until Christmas Day.They added that no more than a third of all flights would operate until 0600 GMT on Wednesday and warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations, possibly until Christmas Day.
BAA said the south runway would remain closed on Tuesday.BAA said the south runway would remain closed on Tuesday.
In a statement to MPs, Mr Hammond said rules on night flights would be relaxed for the next four days to help deal with the backlog.In a statement to MPs, Mr Hammond said rules on night flights would be relaxed for the next four days to help deal with the backlog.
This would mean allowing incoming flights to arrive through the night, while outbound planes could take off until 0100 GMT, he said.This would mean allowing incoming flights to arrive through the night, while outbound planes could take off until 0100 GMT, he said.
In other delays:In other delays:
  • At Gatwick, 600 flights took off and landed at the airport on Monday, but several hundred people remained stuck at the airport
  • Cardiff Airport was shut until 1930 GMT
  • Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham, Luton, London City, Bristol and Southampton airports all said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations
  • Exeter closed a runway on Monday, but said it hoped departures on Tuesday would run as scheduled.
  • Stansted is said to be operating as normal.
  • Elsewhere in Europe, airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence and Amsterdam were severely disrupted.
  • At Gatwick, 600 flights took off and landed at the airport on Monday, but the airport shut about 2000 GMT amid fresh snow, and will not reopen until 0600 GMT on Tuesday
  • Cardiff Airport was shut until 1930 GMT
  • Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham, Luton, London City, Bristol and Southampton airports all said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations
  • Exeter closed a runway on Monday, but said it hoped departures on Tuesday would run as scheduled.
  • Stansted is said to be operating as normal.
  • Elsewhere in Europe, airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence and Amsterdam were severely disrupted.
There was also disruption to road and rail travel on Monday:There was also disruption to road and rail travel on Monday:
  • BBC Travel is reporting "very slow traffic and hazardous driving conditions" on the M4 near Newport
  • Some London-Leeds and London-York services were cancelled on the East Coast Main Line
  • No trains are running between Birmingham New Street and Coventry
  • The AA said it expected to attend about 28,000 call-outs nationally on Monday, compared with 10,500 on a normal Monday
  • BBC Travel is reporting "very slow traffic and hazardous driving conditions" on the M4 near Newport
  • Some London-Leeds and London-York services were cancelled on the East Coast Main Line
  • No trains are running between Birmingham New Street and Coventry
  • The AA said it expected to attend about 28,000 call-outs nationally on Monday, compared with 10,500 on a normal Monday
People at St Pancras station queued for five hours for Eurostar services to the continent, which was also suffering from severe weather. The station was so busy that many had to wait outside, lined up around the terminal building. People at St Pancras station queued for up to eight hours for Eurostar services to the continent, which was also suffering from severe weather. The station was so busy that many had to wait outside, lined up around the terminal building.
Eurostar is now asking all passengers with bookings to stay away from St Pancras, as they try to clear the huge backlog.Eurostar is now asking all passengers with bookings to stay away from St Pancras, as they try to clear the huge backlog.
One worker at St Pancras estimated there were 3,500 people - most of them families - queuing outside the station.One worker at St Pancras estimated there were 3,500 people - most of them families - queuing outside the station.
A Salvation Army tea truck was serving hot drinks, and spirits were surprisingly relaxed despite Eurostar staff "keeping out of public view," he told the BBC.A Salvation Army tea truck was serving hot drinks, and spirits were surprisingly relaxed despite Eurostar staff "keeping out of public view," he told the BBC.
BBC producer Nicki Stiastny, who has been in the Eurostar queue for eight-and-a-half hours on her way to France, said police angered many when they stopped letting people join the end of the queue. But BBC producer Nicki Stiastny, who has been in the Eurostar queue for eight-and-a-half hours on her way to France, said police angered many when they stopped letting people join the end of the queue.
She said people were given "very limited information" and what had been passed on was "by word of mouth", leaving passengers "tired and frustrated".She said people were given "very limited information" and what had been passed on was "by word of mouth", leaving passengers "tired and frustrated".
In Essex, a man, in his 30s, fell through ice on a lake at Rochford, near Southend, on Sunday afternoon and died later in hospital.In Essex, a man, in his 30s, fell through ice on a lake at Rochford, near Southend, on Sunday afternoon and died later in hospital.
BBC weather forecaster John Hammond said southern England bore the brunt of the snow on Monday, with 20cm falling in parts of Devon and Cornwall.BBC weather forecaster John Hammond said southern England bore the brunt of the snow on Monday, with 20cm falling in parts of Devon and Cornwall.
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Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy

Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy
Temperature tab onlyTemperature tab only

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather
Through the evening, snow in southern parts of the UK will ease, say forecasters, although the far south-east might see some heavy snow for a time. More snow showers are expected along the northern coast.Through the evening, snow in southern parts of the UK will ease, say forecasters, although the far south-east might see some heavy snow for a time. More snow showers are expected along the northern coast.
Overnight, it will remain bitterly cold and Tuesday will start off very icy with temperatures well below freezing, say forecasters.Overnight, it will remain bitterly cold and Tuesday will start off very icy with temperatures well below freezing, say forecasters.
Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are likely to see the coldest temperatures overnight, dropping to -17C in Omagh.Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are likely to see the coldest temperatures overnight, dropping to -17C in Omagh.
Sub-zero temperatures will persist across almost the whole country on Tuesday.Sub-zero temperatures will persist across almost the whole country on Tuesday.
Thousands of people were forced to spend Sunday night at Heathrow airport.Thousands of people were forced to spend Sunday night at Heathrow airport.
Sarah Randall, from Hertfordshire, said her family were forced to sleep on the airport floor on Saturday night after their Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong was cancelled.Sarah Randall, from Hertfordshire, said her family were forced to sleep on the airport floor on Saturday night after their Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong was cancelled.
She said her three children - aged six to 11 - were traumatised by the experience and the treatment of passengers had been "disgraceful".She said her three children - aged six to 11 - were traumatised by the experience and the treatment of passengers had been "disgraceful".
BAA spokesman Andrew Teacher said thousands of passengers were put up at hotels and staff had given out blankets, food vouchers and water bottles to stranded passengers.BAA spokesman Andrew Teacher said thousands of passengers were put up at hotels and staff had given out blankets, food vouchers and water bottles to stranded passengers.
BAA's chief executive Colin Matthews said he was "truly, truly sorry" that some people's Christmas holiday plans had been disrupted, and promised to take action to stop it happening again.BAA's chief executive Colin Matthews said he was "truly, truly sorry" that some people's Christmas holiday plans had been disrupted, and promised to take action to stop it happening again.
"When we've got every passenger and every bag where it needs to be, we will crawl all over this to find every single lesson that we can learn," he said."When we've got every passenger and every bag where it needs to be, we will crawl all over this to find every single lesson that we can learn," he said.
Earlier, BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights.Earlier, BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "It can't be beyond the wit of man, surely, to find the shovels, the diggers, the snow ploughs or whatever it takes to clear the snow out from under the planes."London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "It can't be beyond the wit of man, surely, to find the shovels, the diggers, the snow ploughs or whatever it takes to clear the snow out from under the planes."
Former Labour Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: "BAA has big explaining to do... it is making Britain look like a Third World country in terms of its transport systems."Former Labour Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: "BAA has big explaining to do... it is making Britain look like a Third World country in terms of its transport systems."
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for France, warning of disruption to road, rail and air travel in the country.The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for France, warning of disruption to road, rail and air travel in the country.
Most schools in England have already closed for the Christmas break but 472 schools shut early in Northern Ireland, 170 in Wales and at least 50 in Scotland.Most schools in England have already closed for the Christmas break but 472 schools shut early in Northern Ireland, 170 in Wales and at least 50 in Scotland.
The bad weather also led to a sharp drop in weekend shoppers, with retail research group Synovate saying UK footfall was down nearly 25%, compared with last year.The bad weather also led to a sharp drop in weekend shoppers, with retail research group Synovate saying UK footfall was down nearly 25%, compared with last year.
The Highways Agency said it was doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but advised motorists to check traffic and weather conditions before deciding whether to head out.The Highways Agency said it was doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but advised motorists to check traffic and weather conditions before deciding whether to head out.
Frozen Britain - a BBC News special programme on the disruption caused by the recent severe weather will be broadcast on BBC at 1930GMT on Monday, 20 December.Frozen Britain - a BBC News special programme on the disruption caused by the recent severe weather will be broadcast on BBC at 1930GMT on Monday, 20 December.
Have you been affected by the heavy snow and ice or have your travel plans been disrupted? You can send us your experiences using the form below:Have you been affected by the heavy snow and ice or have your travel plans been disrupted? You can send us your experiences using the form below:
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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