Over 300 flights have been delayed or cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick airports as severe thunderstorms swept across southern England, causing widespread disruption for passengers. The storms, which followed a scorching heatwave, have led to temporary air traffic control restrictions at Gatwick, with some flights delayed by up to six hours.
Impact on Airlines and Passengers
Flight tracking data reveals more than 300 flights arriving at or departing from both airports have been affected. Airlines including EasyJet and British Airways are among those impacted. EasyJet confirmed it had pre-emptively cancelled some flights to and from Gatwick due to the restrictions on arrivals and departures.
A spokesperson for EasyJet said: "Due to thunderstorms in the south of the UK which is restricting the number of arrivals and departures today, like other airlines we are experiencing some disruption to our flying programme and have had to pre-emptively cancel some flights to and from Gatwick in advance. We are doing all possible to minimise the impact of the weather disruption for our customers and are notifying passengers in advance with their options to rebook or receive a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required."
Airport and Air Traffic Control Response
Gatwick Airport told the BBC that temporary air traffic control restrictions were implemented due to the ongoing thunderstorms. The airport stated: "Due to ongoing thunderstorms across the network last night, temporary air traffic restrictions were put in place, which resulted in some flights being delayed and cancelled this morning."
The UK's air traffic control service has indicated that delays are expected to persist throughout the day. Eurocontrol, the European aviation agency, noted that Heathrow and Gatwick are the only UK airports currently experiencing "heavy" delays related to the storms.
Weather Outlook
Lightning strikes overnight caused fires at several properties in southern England. Although the heatwave is easing, the Met Office has warned that further thunderstorms are possible this weekend, with hail also expected in some areas. The Met Office said: "The transition in the weather pattern has seen thunderstorms develop for some, and there’s an ongoing chance of these on Saturday, particularly in the southeast where if they develop they could be vigorous with frequent lightning and hail."
Next week is forecast to bring a mix of cloud and sunny spells, with rain arriving from the west at times.
