This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hurricane-gonzalo-hitting-uk-brings-dozens-of-heathrow-flight-cancellations-and-travel-disruption-across-country-9807369.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Gonzalo hitting UK brings 100s of Heathrow flight cancellations and travel disruption across country | Hurricane Gonzalo hitting UK brings 100s of Heathrow flight cancellations and travel disruption across country |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 100 flights in and out of Heathrow airport have been cancelled today, many as a result of the last gasp of Hurricane Gonzalo. The weather system has moved west across the Atlantic and is bringing high winds and heavy rain to Britain. | More than 100 flights in and out of Heathrow airport have been cancelled today, many as a result of the last gasp of Hurricane Gonzalo. The weather system has moved west across the Atlantic and is bringing high winds and heavy rain to Britain. |
| With the “flow rate” of arrivals and departures likely to be reduced, airlines have been asked to make pre-emptive cancellations between 10am and 9pm. | With the “flow rate” of arrivals and departures likely to be reduced, airlines have been asked to make pre-emptive cancellations between 10am and 9pm. |
| British Airways has made the majority of weather-related cancellations - all of them domestic and European flights. The worst-affected destinations, with more than one cancellation, are Barcelona, Belfast, Edinburgh, Geneva, Madrid, Manchester and Newcastle. | British Airways has made the majority of weather-related cancellations - all of them domestic and European flights. The worst-affected destinations, with more than one cancellation, are Barcelona, Belfast, Edinburgh, Geneva, Madrid, Manchester and Newcastle. |
| All Lufthansa flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich have been cancelled, but this is nothing to do with the weather. Pilots at the German airline are on day two of a strike. The walkout yesterday disrupted 200,000 travellers yesterday, and the repercussions are continuing this morning. Flights from Manchester to the two key German hubs have also been cancelled. | All Lufthansa flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich have been cancelled, but this is nothing to do with the weather. Pilots at the German airline are on day two of a strike. The walkout yesterday disrupted 200,000 travellers yesterday, and the repercussions are continuing this morning. Flights from Manchester to the two key German hubs have also been cancelled. |
| Other airlines have cancelled many fewer flights. Aer Lingus has cancelled a departure to Dublin, Virgin Atlantic to Edinburgh, KLM to Amsterdam and SAS Scandinavian Airlines to Oslo. The only transatlantic cancellation so far is Air Canada’s departure to St John’s in Newfoundland. | |
| Around 10,000 travellers are affected so far, with thousands more potentially at risk. Conveniently, Gonzalo has arrived on a Tuesday, the quietest day of the week for air travel, so plenty of space is available on other flights. | Around 10,000 travellers are affected so far, with thousands more potentially at risk. Conveniently, Gonzalo has arrived on a Tuesday, the quietest day of the week for air travel, so plenty of space is available on other flights. |
| Passengers should already have been contacted by the airlines and been offered alternatives. The airline must provide meals and, if necessary, accommodation, but not financial compensation is due because it is not the airline’s fault. | Passengers should already have been contacted by the airlines and been offered alternatives. The airline must provide meals and, if necessary, accommodation, but not financial compensation is due because it is not the airline’s fault. |