Planes attempting to land at Manchester Airport are being forced to circle and divert because of strong winds linked to Storm Austen, causing disruption to both arrivals and departures on Friday, October 23.
Aircraft scheduled to arrive at the airport on Friday are having to circle overhead as landing approaches have been rejected due to the windy conditions in the area.
Delays and diversions reported
Around 2pm, there were approximately ten planes waiting to take off, with more waiting to land, some of which had already attempted to land on the runway, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar shows that flight MSR781 from Cairo to Manchester is now diverting to London Gatwick after trying to land at Manchester Airport. The Egyptair plane completed multiple loops near the airport before making the decision to divert because of the strong winds.
Storm Austen warnings
Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, could bring gusts of up to 80mph to parts of south-west England, with 60-70mph winds expected widely in the region.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind covering Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, in effect from 1am until 10am. Strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain, though gusts will gradually ease over Friday. A yellow warning for wind is in force for Greater Manchester from 10am until 9pm.
Flight departures affected
Some flights from Manchester Airport have taken off over an hour late, including VY8747 to Barcelona, FR3242 to Beziers and TS207 to Toronto.
