Major delays, diversions, and even flight cancellations are occurring at London airports due to the prevailing fog, causing serious problems for thousands of travelers just eight days before Christmas.
Fog is causing major problems at London City Airport in east London, with at least seven flights cancelled so far, including British Airways’ first flight from Glasgow and Loganair’s flight from the Isle of Man.
KLM passengers traveling to and from Amsterdam have been the most affected, with the first flight of the day from the Dutch airport departing on time but remaining 30 minutes over the North Sea before the pilots decided to head to Southend, 28 miles away from their destination.
The Embraer aircraft landed its passengers, but it appears to have returned empty to Amsterdam.
The next two flights from Amsterdam were canceled, along with their corresponding departures, putting at risk the connections of passengers who were planning to go to Schiphol Airport to continue their journey.
According to the rules for air passenger rights, travelers whose flights are canceled or who miss their connections are entitled to be transported to their destination as soon as possible by any airline and to be provided with meals and hotel accommodations until they reach their destination.
Other flights to London City have experienced significant delays, over an hour, such as British Airways flights from Belfast City, Dublin, and Madrid.
The London City runway, which is only 19 feet above mean sea level, is located next to the River Thames and often experiences visibility issues.
The airport has been classified as “Category 3” due to its steep approach, which requires pilots to have special training to land.
The other London airports do not appear to have been affected by the fog.
Wizz Air canceled a flight from Rome to Luton, but the reason is unknown.
However, several flights to Southampton were significantly delayed due to fog. A flight from Aurigny from Guernsey was delayed for over an hour, circling over Southampton Water before landing at Hampshire Airport.
Also, an easyJet flight from Glasgow was delayed by an hour, and the next flights from Southampton are also delayed.
