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| Fog delays hit holiday travellers | Fog delays hit holiday travellers |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of air passengers are facing delays to their Christmas getaway, with fog forcing more than 150 flights from London airports to be cancelled. | |
| Some 88 outbound flights from Heathrow, 25 from Gatwick, and 30 from City Airport have been grounded. | |
| Airlines said customers were being offered alternative flights or refunds. | Airlines said customers were being offered alternative flights or refunds. |
| Fog has also affected parts of the M6, the M40 and M1 motorways. The BBC Weather Centre said visibility had dropped to 50m (164ft) in places. | Fog has also affected parts of the M6, the M40 and M1 motorways. The BBC Weather Centre said visibility had dropped to 50m (164ft) in places. |
| However, forecasters expected the fog to clear in the early hours of Monday - giving way to milder, wetter weather - and they said rain was likely across the UK on Christmas Eve. | However, forecasters expected the fog to clear in the early hours of Monday - giving way to milder, wetter weather - and they said rain was likely across the UK on Christmas Eve. |
| Check with airlines | Check with airlines |
| Of the 88 flights cancelled at Heathrow, 42 are short-haul flights from Terminal 1, 25 European short haul from Terminal 2, 20 short and long haul from Terminal 4 and one long-haul flight from Terminal 3. | Of the 88 flights cancelled at Heathrow, 42 are short-haul flights from Terminal 1, 25 European short haul from Terminal 2, 20 short and long haul from Terminal 4 and one long-haul flight from Terminal 3. |
| Destinations include Edinburgh, Dublin, Milan and Rome. | Destinations include Edinburgh, Dublin, Milan and Rome. |
| At Gatwick, 15 short-haul flights have been cancelled - 10 are British Airways flights and five Easyjet. The flights were bound for Amsterdam, Manchester, Newquay and Jersey. | At Gatwick, 15 short-haul flights have been cancelled - 10 are British Airways flights and five Easyjet. The flights were bound for Amsterdam, Manchester, Newquay and Jersey. |
| A spokeswoman at City Airport said 30 departures by Swissair, British Airways and Air France were cancelled due to the fog, as well as a similar number of arrivals. | |
| Visibility was not improving, and efforts were being made to book passengers onto other flights, she added. | |
| Dozens of inbound journeys to the UK have also been affected by the weather, with some flights cancelled and others diverted to alternative airports. | Dozens of inbound journeys to the UK have also been affected by the weather, with some flights cancelled and others diverted to alternative airports. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Every year it is the same story. Cancelled flights, traffic jams, stranded at airports and train stations Brenda Lyall, Aberdeen Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Every year it is the same story. Cancelled flights, traffic jams, stranded at airports and train stations Brenda Lyall, Aberdeen Send us your comments |
| On an average day, a total of 1,250 flights arrive and depart from Heathrow. | On an average day, a total of 1,250 flights arrive and depart from Heathrow. |
| A spokesman said that 181,000 passengers were expected in Heathrow's terminals on Sunday, slightly fewer than Saturday when 214,000 passed through. | A spokesman said that 181,000 passengers were expected in Heathrow's terminals on Sunday, slightly fewer than Saturday when 214,000 passed through. |
| Passengers are being advised to check with their airline for further information before travelling. | Passengers are being advised to check with their airline for further information before travelling. |
| British Airways said all its customers facing cancellations would be refunded or offered the chance to re-book their flight on other available services. | British Airways said all its customers facing cancellations would be refunded or offered the chance to re-book their flight on other available services. |
| A spokesman for Easyjet said the company had also only cancelled flights where there had been alternative options for passengers. | A spokesman for Easyjet said the company had also only cancelled flights where there had been alternative options for passengers. |
| "Because the fog caused just a reduction in capacity, we had reasonable amount of flexibility to choose which flights to cancel," he said. | "Because the fog caused just a reduction in capacity, we had reasonable amount of flexibility to choose which flights to cancel," he said. |
| "Those passengers have been re-booked on flights going today and tomorrow. No-one is going to be left behind." | "Those passengers have been re-booked on flights going today and tomorrow. No-one is going to be left behind." |
| Sam Cooper, in London, told the BBC she was waiting for her partner to arrive from Edinburgh after his flight to Gatwick was cancelled and then rescheduled to Stansted. | Sam Cooper, in London, told the BBC she was waiting for her partner to arrive from Edinburgh after his flight to Gatwick was cancelled and then rescheduled to Stansted. |
| "Fog is something we cannot control, let's be grateful for the staff helping everybody at this very busy time," she said. | "Fog is something we cannot control, let's be grateful for the staff helping everybody at this very busy time," she said. |
| Rail options | Rail options |
| Virgin Rail said there was still room on the company's pre-Christmas services for stranded air travellers. | Virgin Rail said there was still room on the company's pre-Christmas services for stranded air travellers. |
| A company spokesman added: "Our trains are running normally and there are still seats available. We'll do everything we can to help." | A company spokesman added: "Our trains are running normally and there are still seats available. We'll do everything we can to help." |
| Stansted and Southampton airports - hit by fog in previous days - both said they were operating a normal service. | Stansted and Southampton airports - hit by fog in previous days - both said they were operating a normal service. |
| On the roads, fog delayed traffic on the M6 and the M40 motorways. | On the roads, fog delayed traffic on the M6 and the M40 motorways. |
| Trafficmaster said the east Midlands, the north of England and Scotland were particularly badly affected. | Trafficmaster said the east Midlands, the north of England and Scotland were particularly badly affected. |
| Problems were also reported on the M1, M62, M60, M25 and the M5. | Problems were also reported on the M1, M62, M60, M25 and the M5. |
| Engineering works | Engineering works |
| Motorists travelling from Sussex into Surrey on the northbound stretch of the M23 faced disruption following two accidents - one south of Gatwick Airport and another south of the junction for the M25, near Redhill. | Motorists travelling from Sussex into Surrey on the northbound stretch of the M23 faced disruption following two accidents - one south of Gatwick Airport and another south of the junction for the M25, near Redhill. |
| Meanwhile in Northamptonshire, two crashes - one on the A14 at the junction with the M1 and another at the A421 at Evenley near Brackley - also caused long delays. | Meanwhile in Northamptonshire, two crashes - one on the A14 at the junction with the M1 and another at the A421 at Evenley near Brackley - also caused long delays. |
| The busiest days on the roads after Friday's mass getaway are expected to be 27 and 28 December. | The busiest days on the roads after Friday's mass getaway are expected to be 27 and 28 December. |
| Rail travellers could yet face problems over the festive period because the West Coast Mainline is partially closing at Rugby for five days from 27 December. | Rail travellers could yet face problems over the festive period because the West Coast Mainline is partially closing at Rugby for five days from 27 December. |
| Passengers are being advised to take alternative routes, such as the National Express East Coast, the Transpennine Express or Chiltern Trains into London Marylebone. | Passengers are being advised to take alternative routes, such as the National Express East Coast, the Transpennine Express or Chiltern Trains into London Marylebone. |
| Have your travel plans been affected by the weather? Send us your comments by filling out the form below | Have your travel plans been affected by the weather? Send us your comments by filling out the form below |