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| Fog delays hit holiday travellers | Fog delays hit holiday travellers |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of air passengers are facing delays to their Christmas getaway, with thick fog forcing more than 90 Heathrow and Gatwick flights to be cancelled. | Hundreds of air passengers are facing delays to their Christmas getaway, with thick fog forcing more than 90 Heathrow and Gatwick flights to be cancelled. |
| A total of 69 outbound flights from Heathrow and 25 from Gatwick have been grounded due to the adverse weather. | A total of 69 outbound flights from Heathrow and 25 from Gatwick have been grounded due to the adverse weather. |
| Fog has also affected the M1 motorway between junctions 19 and 21, and part of the M62 and the M60 in Manchester. | Fog has also affected the M1 motorway between junctions 19 and 21, and part of the M62 and the M60 in Manchester. |
| The BBC Weather Centre says the fog will be patchy, but in some areas visibility will be down to 50m (164ft). | The BBC Weather Centre says the fog will be patchy, but in some areas visibility will be down to 50m (164ft). |
| However, forecasters expect it to clear later - giving way to milder, wetter weather - and say rain is likely across the UK on Christmas Eve. | However, forecasters expect it to clear later - giving way to milder, wetter weather - and say rain is likely across the UK on Christmas Eve. |
| Check with airlines | |
| Of the 69 flights cancelled at Heathrow, 30 are short-haul flights from Terminal 1, 21 European short-haul from Terminal 2, 17 short and long haul from Terminal 4 and one long-haul flight from Terminal 3. | Of the 69 flights cancelled at Heathrow, 30 are short-haul flights from Terminal 1, 21 European short-haul from Terminal 2, 17 short and long haul from Terminal 4 and one long-haul flight from Terminal 3. |
| At Gatwick, 15 short-haul flights have been cancelled - 10 are British Airways flights and five Easyjet. | At Gatwick, 15 short-haul flights have been cancelled - 10 are British Airways flights and five Easyjet. |
| A spokesman for Heathrow said that 181,000 passengers were expected in Heathrow's terminals on Sunday, slightly fewer than Saturday when 214,000 passed through. | A spokesman for Heathrow said that 181,000 passengers were expected in Heathrow's terminals on Sunday, slightly fewer than Saturday when 214,000 passed through. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Every year it is the same story. Cancelled flights, traffic jams, stranded at airports and train stations Brenda Lyall, Aberdeen class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=3967&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| "Those passengers have been re-booked on flights going today and tomorrow. No-one is going to be left behind." | |
| Rail options | |
| A spokesman for Virgin Rail said there was still room on the company's pre-Christmas services for stranded air travellers. | |
| He added: "Our trains are running normally and there are still seats available. We'll do everything we can to help." | |
| Stansted and Southampton airports both said they were operating a normal service. | |
| Elsewhere on the roads, parts of the M6 are suffering from poor visibility, including junction 3 which also has a build-up of ice. | Elsewhere on the roads, parts of the M6 are suffering from poor visibility, including junction 3 which also has a build-up of ice. |
| Problems in Kent include fog on the M2, M20 and M25. There is also fog between junction 11 and 14 of the M5. | Problems in Kent include fog on the M2, M20 and M25. There is also fog between junction 11 and 14 of the M5. |
| 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 closing for five days from 27 December. | Rail travellers could yet face problems over the festive period because the West Coast Mainline is closing for five days from 27 December. |
| 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 |