Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
16 January 2017 08:10
The Met Office describe the weather as a "real taste of winter"
Some of the biggest airports in the UK have been forced to cancel flights as snow and blizzard conditions sweep parts of the country.
Heavy snow has hit Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of England. Motorists and ferry passengers are also facing disruption with roads and bridges also being affected.
'A real taste of winter'
More than 80 flights scheduled to depart from Heathrow Airport last night (Thurs) were cancelled because of the forecast of Arctic weather conditions that the Met Office described as a "real taste of winter".
A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: ''The latest forecast is for snow this afternoon (Thurs), which will reduce the number of aircraft able to take off and land each hour.
"Alongside our airline partners and NATS, we have taken the decision to reduce the flight schedule to allow airlines to rebook passengers onto un-allocated seats ahead of time where possible."
Travellers are advised to take out trusted travel insurance to cover them for unexpected cancellations.
Elsewhere, four flights were cancelled at Gatwick Airport. Gatwick advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline and apologised for any inconvenience.
The weather has affected ferry services, with Caledonian MacBrayne warning of "heavy disruptions".
Northlink ferries and Orkney Ferries also warned disruption was likely due to the weather.
Some airlines are providing solutions
British Airways (BA) flights are among those affected at Heathrow.
A BA spokeswoman said: "For safety reasons, Heathrow Airport, air traffic control and all airlines have agreed to operate a reduced schedule to help mitigate the effects of the snow which is likely to fall throughout Thursday afternoon and early evening."
The airline is refunding or rebooking any affected customers onto alternative flights.
"Customers on some flights can also choose to travel on alternative dates even if their flight is still scheduled to operate," the spokeswoman continued.
18 August 2018
Diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat should be avoided due to a possible association with shortened life spans, scientists have warned.
[more...]
17 August 2018
People living with HIV could be offered a long-lasting injection that controls the virus and protects patients from developing AIDS.
16 August 2018
Holidaymakers in the UK will be hit by more train price hikes from next year, after the Government announced ticket prices will increase by 3.2% in January.
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.