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| Snow travel chaos set to impact on Christmas week | Snow travel chaos set to impact on Christmas week |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Severe disruption caused by the UK's freezing weather is set to continue, as anger grows over a virtual shutdown at Heathrow airport. | |
| Hundreds of Christmas travellers have faced a second night sleeping at the busy London airport, with more delays and cancellations expected on Monday. | |
| As knock-on delays hit other airports, the Met Office warned of more snow and ice in many parts of the country. | As knock-on delays hit other airports, the Met Office warned of more snow and ice in many parts of the country. |
| A "bitterly cold" day is forecast on Monday, with freezing fog. | A "bitterly cold" day is forecast on Monday, with freezing fog. |
| Southern England and South Wales were among those in the "firing line" for Monday, said BBC weather forecaster Helen Willetts, with 5-10cm of snowfall that could coincide with both the morning and evening rush hours. | Southern England and South Wales were among those in the "firing line" for Monday, said BBC weather forecaster Helen Willetts, with 5-10cm of snowfall that could coincide with both the morning and evening rush hours. |
| "We could have some bedlam once again, it looks absolutely atrocious," she said. | "We could have some bedlam once again, it looks absolutely atrocious," she said. |
| There were warnings of more heavy snow for much of Scotland and north-east England on Sunday evening and through into Monday. | There were warnings of more heavy snow for much of Scotland and north-east England on Sunday evening and through into Monday. |
| Northern Ireland, East Sussex and Kent were also forecast to have more snow on Sunday evening. | Northern Ireland, East Sussex and Kent were also forecast to have more snow on Sunday evening. |
| What's the weather in your area?Source: BBC Weather | What's the weather in your area?Source: BBC Weather |
| Thousands stayed at Heathrow overnight on Saturday, and few flights departed on Sunday, when some 210,000 people were due to fly. Just three flights had arrived by early Sunday evening. | Thousands stayed at Heathrow overnight on Saturday, and few flights departed on Sunday, when some 210,000 people were due to fly. Just three flights had arrived by early Sunday evening. |
| Hundreds of people slept at Gatwick on Saturday night, where the situation was improving through Sunday. By 2200 GMT, there had been 235 departures and 220 arrivals, out of 704 flights scheduled for Sunday. | Hundreds of people slept at Gatwick on Saturday night, where the situation was improving through Sunday. By 2200 GMT, there had been 235 departures and 220 arrivals, out of 704 flights scheduled for Sunday. |
| When asked why there were so many more flights operating than at Heathrow, press officer Sean McKay said that while airline handlers were responsible for the de-icing of planes, the Gatwick team had been helping them. | When asked why there were so many more flights operating than at Heathrow, press officer Sean McKay said that while airline handlers were responsible for the de-icing of planes, the Gatwick team had been helping them. |
| Airport operator BAA said further cancellations and delays at Heathrow would be inevitable. | Airport operator BAA said further cancellations and delays at Heathrow would be inevitable. |
| It added that beyond Monday there would be continued problems "as airlines move diverted aircraft and crew back to their normal positions". | It added that beyond Monday there would be continued problems "as airlines move diverted aircraft and crew back to their normal positions". |
| BAA's Andrew Teacher said staff would work through the night to clear ice from the airfields but they were "fighting against" temperatures expected to drop as low as -9C overnight. | BAA's Andrew Teacher said staff would work through the night to clear ice from the airfields but they were "fighting against" temperatures expected to drop as low as -9C overnight. |
| "We are hoping to run a bit more of service tomorrow, but I think we need to be very realistic about the level of disruption over the next few days and the domino effect of the disruption." | "We are hoping to run a bit more of service tomorrow, but I think we need to be very realistic about the level of disruption over the next few days and the domino effect of the disruption." |
| On the railways there was some disruption on Sunday, including the suspension of East Coast Train services between London and Peterborough, stranding hundreds of passengers. | On the railways there was some disruption on Sunday, including the suspension of East Coast Train services between London and Peterborough, stranding hundreds of passengers. |
| No trains were running between Oxford and Hereford, while some Chiltern Railways, South West Trains and First Capital Connect services were affected by the weather. | No trains were running between Oxford and Hereford, while some Chiltern Railways, South West Trains and First Capital Connect services were affected by the weather. |
| With France also suffering severe weather, Eurostar said people should not travel unless it is necessary. | With France also suffering severe weather, Eurostar said people should not travel unless it is necessary. |
| It also said speed restrictions and delays were expected. | It also said speed restrictions and delays were expected. |
| 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. |
| Elsewhere in Europe there are severe disruptions at airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence, and Amsterdam. | Elsewhere in Europe there are severe disruptions at airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence, and Amsterdam. |
| 'Fend for yourself' | 'Fend for yourself' |
| The BBC has received hundreds of emails from stranded plane passengers, with many saying they have no idea where they will be spending Christmas. | The BBC has received hundreds of emails from stranded plane passengers, with many saying they have no idea where they will be spending Christmas. |
| BAA said there was nothing stopping passengers leaving the airports and that "several thousand" were being put up in hotels. | BAA said there was nothing stopping passengers leaving the airports and that "several thousand" were being put up in hotels. |
| "The closest comparison to Heathrow is Amsterdam (Schiphol) and that's pretty miserable too. It's not just us but it has been managed very very badly. | "The closest comparison to Heathrow is Amsterdam (Schiphol) and that's pretty miserable too. It's not just us but it has been managed very very badly. |
| "BAA only at 0500 this morning announced there would be no arrivals in. By close of play today we are going to see something like half a million people flying to or from the UK who are not where they want to be. | "BAA only at 0500 this morning announced there would be no arrivals in. By close of play today we are going to see something like half a million people flying to or from the UK who are not where they want to be. |
| "The lucky ones are the people whose holidays have been cancelled. They can just stay at home and watch Sports Personality of the Year or the final of The Apprentice. | "The lucky ones are the people whose holidays have been cancelled. They can just stay at home and watch Sports Personality of the Year or the final of The Apprentice. |
| "It's the people who have been stuck, thousands of them, in foreign destinations. If they are with non-European airlines they have to fend for themselves, and of course there are many other people who are stranded in transit at Heathrow who arrived maybe yesterday morning, had no interest in staying here at all and are simply stuck." | "It's the people who have been stuck, thousands of them, in foreign destinations. If they are with non-European airlines they have to fend for themselves, and of course there are many other people who are stranded in transit at Heathrow who arrived maybe yesterday morning, had no interest in staying here at all and are simply stuck." |
| However, when asked if the company was confident of getting everyone to their festive destinations, a spokeswoman said: "We are in the hands of the weather." | However, when asked if the company was confident of getting everyone to their festive destinations, a spokeswoman said: "We are in the hands of the weather." |
| BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted that the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights. | BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted that the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights. |
| "It's an area that has been inadequate," he told the BBC, adding that the decision about re-opening the airport was unclear for a long time and remains uncertain. | "It's an area that has been inadequate," he told the BBC, adding that the decision about re-opening the airport was unclear for a long time and remains uncertain. |
| However, he said the early suspension of flights on Saturday meant many passengers avoided making a fruitless trip to the airport. | However, he said the early suspension of flights on Saturday meant many passengers avoided making a fruitless trip to the airport. |
| Trevor Taylor, who had been waiting with his wife and two young sons for a flight for Singapore for two days, said Terminal 5 was "absolute mayhem." | Trevor Taylor, who had been waiting with his wife and two young sons for a flight for Singapore for two days, said Terminal 5 was "absolute mayhem." |
| The 37-year-old from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said: "There are kids that haven't been fed, there are elderly people in wheelchairs getting cold. It's 'everyone fend for yourself'. | The 37-year-old from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said: "There are kids that haven't been fed, there are elderly people in wheelchairs getting cold. It's 'everyone fend for yourself'. |
| "Frustration is building up. I've been sleeping on a knobbly marble floor and every space you can see is taken," he said. | "Frustration is building up. I've been sleeping on a knobbly marble floor and every space you can see is taken," he said. |
| Treacherous conditions on the roads and fully-booked hotels meant some had no option but to stick it out at the airport, he said. | Treacherous conditions on the roads and fully-booked hotels meant some had no option but to stick it out at the airport, he said. |
| Other passengers reported lengthy queues for toilets and plug sockets, where stranded passengers waited to recharge their mobile phones. | Other passengers reported lengthy queues for toilets and plug sockets, where stranded passengers waited to recharge their mobile phones. |
| Hundreds of staff had been drafted in to hand blankets, food and water to passengers stuck in terminals, said BAA, but many still complained to the BBC they had been left without. | Hundreds of staff had been drafted in to hand blankets, food and water to passengers stuck in terminals, said BAA, but many still complained to the BBC they had been left without. |
| A Gatwick spokeswoman said it was doing everything it could to "get passengers on their way" but advised them to check with airlines before setting out. | A Gatwick spokeswoman said it was doing everything it could to "get passengers on their way" but advised them to check with airlines before setting out. |
| Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports were closed for a time on Sunday, as was Guernsey. The runway at Jersey airport is closed until Monday morning. | Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports were closed for a time on Sunday, as was Guernsey. The runway at Jersey airport is closed until Monday morning. |
| Stansted, Luton, Exeter, London City, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton airports said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations. | Stansted, Luton, Exeter, London City, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton airports said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations. |
| Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has asked the government's chief scientific adviser for advice on whether the government should be planning for more severe weather in future, but shadow transport minister Maria Eagle accused him of complacency. | Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has asked the government's chief scientific adviser for advice on whether the government should be planning for more severe weather in future, but shadow transport minister Maria Eagle accused him of complacency. |
| "We had a winter resilience report which was ordered by the previous government on his desk in July and he could have started by implementing the recommendations," she said. | "We had a winter resilience report which was ordered by the previous government on his desk in July and he could have started by implementing the recommendations," she said. |
| Other incidents on Sunday included: | Other incidents on Sunday included: |
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| The Highways Agency has said it is doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but that motorists should check traffic and weather conditions before considering whether to go out. | The Highways Agency has said it is doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but that motorists should check traffic and weather conditions before considering whether to go out. |
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Map Key
FogLight HeavyFrostLight HeavyPressure FrontsCold Warm OccludedRainLight Heavy ExtremeSnowLight Heavy | Map Key
FogLight HeavyFrostLight HeavyPressure FrontsCold Warm OccludedRainLight Heavy ExtremeSnowLight Heavy |
| Temperature tab only | Temperature tab only |
Temperature (°C)More details from BBC Weather | Temperature (°C)More details from BBC Weather |
| 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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