Over 900 flights at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports have been delayed or cancelled due to severe thunderstorms, with the UK's air traffic control service warning that disruption is expected to continue into Sunday. According to FlightAware, more than 474 flights arriving at or departing from Heathrow have been delayed, along with 439 flights at Gatwick. Delays have reached up to 11 hours for some flights, and dozens have been cancelled.
NATS Cites Safety Measures
NATS, the UK's air traffic control service, said adverse weather conditions required aircraft to "avoid affected areas and be spaced further apart," limiting the number of flights that can operate safely. In a statement on Saturday afternoon, NATS said: "Severe thunderstorms across the south east of England and Europe continue to impact flights, and this is expected to continue for the remainder of today and overnight." They added that the forecast for UK airspace on Sunday looks generally fine, but further thunderstorms in Europe may affect routings across the continent.
Passengers Advised to Check with Airlines
Gatwick and Heathrow advised passengers to check the status of their flights with airlines before travelling. Heathrow's live arrival board showed a British Airways flight from Santiago, Chile, due to land at 10:00 BST but now not expected until 21:00 that evening. Europe-wide aviation agency Eurocontrol mapping indicated the most severe air traffic control delays in airspace between south-east England and north-western Europe, where storm clouds are located. Other UK airports remain largely unaffected.
Record Heatwave Precedes Storms
The thunderstorms developed overnight, bringing rain and lightning to parts of the UK, following a record-breaking heatwave that saw the hottest ever June high of 37.3°C recorded in Suffolk on Friday. NATS stressed that safety is the priority and they are working closely with airlines and airports to reduce disruption. Passengers are urged to contact their airline for the latest information on their flight.
