Storms Delay London Flights by Up to Six Hours

A sudden change in weather in the United Kingdom, where a heat wave gave way to severe thunderstorms, has caused massive disruptions to air travel. According to the BBC, flight delays at London's major airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, are reaching up to six hours, and dozens of flights have had to be canceled entirely.

According to the flight-tracking service FlightAware, at least 367 flights were delayed at Heathrow Airport and 352 at Gatwick Airport on Saturday. The most critical situation for air traffic control is reported in the airspace between southeastern England and northwestern Europe, where storm fronts are present.

The British air traffic control service NATS and airport authorities warn that restrictions and adverse conditions will persist until the end of the day. Some passengers, such as those on EasyJet flights, were stranded on planes on the runway for hours before their flights were canceled.

The problems are also spilling over abroad. British Airways passengers were stranded without air conditioning at airports across Europe, such as Venice, Italy, as flights from London were unable to take off on their scheduled routes.

Airlines, including British Airways and EasyJet, apologized for the complications and explained that they had to adjust their flight schedules due to strict air traffic control restrictions. Air routes outside the storm-affected areas are currently operating without restrictions.

(max)