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| Airport delays on 'busiest day' | Airport delays on 'busiest day' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Air travellers endured a series of delays on what was expected to be the busiest day of the Christmas getaway. | Air travellers endured a series of delays on what was expected to be the busiest day of the Christmas getaway. |
| Heavy fog, which had left thousands of passengers stranded on Friday night, caused further disruption to services at Heathrow and Southampton airports. | |
| Rail travellers could yet face problems because the West Coast Mainline is closing for five days from 27 December. | Rail travellers could yet face problems because the West Coast Mainline is closing for five days from 27 December. |
| And on the roads, the busiest days after Friday's mass getaway are expected to be 27 and 28 December. | And on the roads, the busiest days after Friday's mass getaway are expected to be 27 and 28 December. |
| Widespread fog is forecast again on Sunday morning. | Widespread fog is forecast again on Sunday morning. |
| Freezing rain | Freezing rain |
| Thousands of passengers were stranded on Friday night as flights were grounded at Southampton and Gatwick, and others to Stansted were diverted. | Thousands of passengers were stranded on Friday night as flights were grounded at Southampton and Gatwick, and others to Stansted were diverted. |
| The knock-on effects meant that 25 flights were delayed by up to two hours at Southampton airport on Saturday. | The knock-on effects meant that 25 flights were delayed by up to two hours at Southampton airport on Saturday. |
| On the same day six flights were cancelled at Heathrow, which saw 215,000 travellers use its terminals. | On the same day six flights were cancelled at Heathrow, which saw 215,000 travellers use its terminals. |
| Fog disrupted flights from Gatwick and Southampton airports on Friday, mostly to Europe, with all flights leaving Southampton after 1700 GMT stopped, and arrivals diverted to other airports. | Fog disrupted flights from Gatwick and Southampton airports on Friday, mostly to Europe, with all flights leaving Southampton after 1700 GMT stopped, and arrivals diverted to other airports. |
| A total of 16 departures had been cancelled at Gatwick airport on Friday, with as many as 2,000 people affected. Incoming flights also had to be diverted away from London City. | A total of 16 departures had been cancelled at Gatwick airport on Friday, with as many as 2,000 people affected. Incoming flights also had to be diverted away from London City. |
| Although flights gradually returned to normal on Saturday, the Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for north-west England and most of Scotland, warning of freezing rain and icy roads. | Although flights gradually returned to normal on Saturday, the Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for north-west England and most of Scotland, warning of freezing rain and icy roads. |
| UK TRAVEL MAP BBC Travel NewsThe festive travel front line | UK TRAVEL MAP BBC Travel NewsThe festive travel front line |
| BBC weather forecaster Rob McElwee said fog would cover much of England on Saturday, especially from Yorkshire to Oxfordshire. | BBC weather forecaster Rob McElwee said fog would cover much of England on Saturday, especially from Yorkshire to Oxfordshire. |
| Ice is expected in Scotland, Northumbria and Cumbria. | Ice is expected in Scotland, Northumbria and Cumbria. |
| Frost is expected across the country on Saturday night, and extensive fog is also forecast for Sunday morning and possibly longer in England and Wales. | Frost is expected across the country on Saturday night, and extensive fog is also forecast for Sunday morning and possibly longer in England and Wales. |
| On the roads, the Highways Agency is suspending roadworks on several motorways and major A-roads in England over the holiday period, but roadworks remain on some key routes, including the M1 and M25. | On the roads, the Highways Agency is suspending roadworks on several motorways and major A-roads in England over the holiday period, but roadworks remain on some key routes, including the M1 and M25. |
| The agency said on Saturday afternoon that there were no major problems affecting travel. | The agency said on Saturday afternoon that there were no major problems affecting travel. |
| Adam Cracknell from the RAC said there would be a high volume of traffic on the roads on the 27 and 28 December because of the post-Christmas sales. | Adam Cracknell from the RAC said there would be a high volume of traffic on the roads on the 27 and 28 December because of the post-Christmas sales. |
| Strikes and sales | Strikes and sales |
| On the trains, Saturday is expected to be very busy, with people due to travel after taking two weeks off work. | On the trains, Saturday is expected to be very busy, with people due to travel after taking two weeks off work. |
| After Christmas, the West Coast Mainline is to close for longer than expected after Network Rail under-estimated the amount of work being planned over the Christmas break. | After Christmas, the West Coast Mainline is to close for longer than expected after Network Rail under-estimated the amount of work being planned over the Christmas break. |
| As a result, engineering work beginning on 27 December will now last until New Year's Eve, a day later than originally planned. | As a result, engineering work beginning on 27 December will now last until New Year's Eve, a day later than originally planned. |
| The work will affect any services that would have passed through Rugby, disrupting travel between London and Scotland, Manchester and Birmingham. | The work will affect any services that would have passed through Rugby, disrupting travel between London and Scotland, Manchester and Birmingham. |
| These are mostly Virgin Train's services, but the closure also affects some London Midland and First ScotRail Sleeper services. | These are mostly Virgin Train's services, but the closure also affects some London Midland and First ScotRail Sleeper services. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I'm travelling from the bedroom via the stairs into the lounge. I might go exploring in the kitchen and, weather permitting, even sit outside on the patio Geoff Molloy, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY I'm travelling from the bedroom via the stairs into the lounge. I might go exploring in the kitchen and, weather permitting, even sit outside on the patio Geoff Molloy, UK Send us your comments |
| Alternative services will be provided either by other train operating companies or replacement coaches. | Alternative services will be provided either by other train operating companies or replacement coaches. |
| Meanwhile, UK airport workers have voted for industrial action, which will be taking place on 7, 14 and 17 January. | Meanwhile, UK airport workers have voted for industrial action, which will be taking place on 7, 14 and 17 January. |
| The dispute with BAA, which operates seven UK airports including Heathrow and Gatwick, is over the closure of final salary pensions to new employees. | The dispute with BAA, which operates seven UK airports including Heathrow and Gatwick, is over the closure of final salary pensions to new employees. |
| A record 3.5m Britons are expected to head abroad for Christmas, with a total of 1.2m passengers expected to leave from London's Heathrow airport between 21 December and 2 January. | A record 3.5m Britons are expected to head abroad for Christmas, with a total of 1.2m passengers expected to leave from London's Heathrow airport between 21 December and 2 January. |
| Over the same period some 600,000 are expected to pass through Gatwick, while 270,000 are flying from Manchester, 170,000 from Luton and 130,000 from Birmingham. | Over the same period some 600,000 are expected to pass through Gatwick, while 270,000 are flying from Manchester, 170,000 from Luton and 130,000 from Birmingham. |
| Eurostar trains will have carried 150,000 passengers from London to the continent by 2 January. | Eurostar trains will have carried 150,000 passengers from London to the continent by 2 January. |
| Top city-break destinations include Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and New York, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). | Top city-break destinations include Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and New York, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). |
| The Canary Islands, Egypt, Goa and Dubai are also proving popular. | The Canary Islands, Egypt, Goa and Dubai are also proving popular. |