Flights at London Luton Airport were suspended for 95 minutes on Wednesday evening after a lightning strike affected air traffic control equipment, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers stranded and forcing several planes to divert to other airports.
The suspension, in place between 5.40pm and 7.15pm, triggered a spate of cancellations and diversions. Torrential rain also caused flash flooding on roads outside the airport, with routes closed after becoming submerged. Footage showed people with suitcases walking on the A-road as they made their way to and from the airport.
Diversions and cancellations
One passenger warned others that the situation was 'a disaster.' Operations have since resumed, but several easyJet flight departures were cancelled, while a number of arrivals were diverted elsewhere.
The airport said: 'Flights to and from London Luton Airport have now resumed, following an earlier suspension, caused by a lightning strike affecting Air Traffic Control equipment.'
'While flights are operating again, some services may continue to experience delays or cancellations as airlines work to recover their schedules. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline. We apologise for the disruption caused and thank passengers for their patience and understanding while the issue was resolved. Safety will always remain our highest priority.'
Passenger experiences
One of the airports receiving diverted flights was East Midlands Airport, which received around 10 additional flights suddenly, potentially bringing thousands of extra passengers from airlines that do not normally operate from the airport and have no staff there.
A mum, whose daughter was on a diverted easyJet flight from Belfast to Luton, said the plane was diverted to East Midlands due to the stormy weather. Sue told Metro that her daughter Amy was able to disembark after a two-hour wait on the tarmac. The 22-year-old found herself waiting for a bus with 'lots of very confusing people with no idea of where they were going,' Sue said.
She said Amy ended up teaming up with four other young women for an Uber towards St Albans as they were all 'travelling alone, and were in an unfamiliar place with no idea of when and if they would get a bus.'
Weather warning and passenger rights
The thunderstorm front is sweeping across large parts of England and Wales, marking an end to the scorching weather. A yellow Met Office warning for thunder and heavy rain is active until 5pm tomorrow in London and South East, East Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire and Humber.
In the UK and EU, airlines must look after passengers if their flight is delayed or cancelled, including meals, accommodation, and an alternative flight if necessary. Citizen's Advice says airlines should also give impacted passengers access to phone calls and emails, and organise journeys between the hotel and the airport if they offer a place to stay.
