PASSENGERS have been stranded at airports after the UK’s air traffic control system broke down and the freak heatwave grounded flights.
Travellers already battling delays and cancellations sparked by the weather faced more misery when the malfunction hit Swanwick Air Traffic Control centre.
Flights were axed at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton after thunderstorms before today’s technical hitch.
Passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick were warned of “high” levels of delays, as air traffic control company Nats said: “We are doing all we can to fix it as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, Eurostar trains were suspended after a power cable “exploded” on a platform at Paris Gare du Nord, according to a manager.
Eurostar later said there was no cable explosion at the station, but a power issue was causing massive delays.
And Britain’s rail network was also sent into meltdown as this week’s travel misery continues.
What we know so far:
- British Airways cancelled at least 30 flights from Heathrow on Friday
- A breakdown with the UK’s air traffic control system has hit flights
- Stranded fliers have been stuck at Heathrow for up up 16 hours
- Eurostar suspended trains after an overhead power cut at Paris Gare du Nord station
- Scorching temperatures damaged overhead electric wires between London St Pancras and Luton, blocking lines
- Cancellations on East Midlands Trains, Great Northern, Greater Anglia and Thameslink trains
Heathrow is the worst hit airport today, with British Airways cancelling at least 30 flights as raging passengers blasting “disgraceful scenes” and seven-hour queues.
One passenger tweeted this morning: “My sister with her little kids is stuck in a plane for 10 hours and it never took off.
“They didn’t let the passengers out I am sure because they wanted to avoid the crowd.
“But 10 hours in an idle plane is level-3 frustration. Well done Heathrow.”
A video showed hundreds of Heathrow passengers queuing for taxis at the airport.
Another flier raged today: “We have been stranded at Heathrow for 16 hours. British Airways have been absolutely appalling.
“No help whatsoever. We sat on the plane for 5 hours with very little information.”
And a third Heathrow traveller fumed: “Terrible service by Heathrow Airport tonight. If you can’t deal with a thunderstorm how can you even imagine dealing with no deal Brexit?!
“Stuck on a plane for an hour because there are no workers to bring the steps! Very disappointing!”
HEATHROW HELL
A Balkan brass band entertained one group of passengers stuck on a plane for three and a half hours.
Heathrow and Gatwick apologised to travellers for today’s chaos, and advised them to check with their airlines before flying.
One Heathrow flier told BBC Radio’s Five Live: “Thousands of passengers in Terminal Five waiting to rebook our flights, which were all cancelled last night.
“There is just no room for everybody. There are no seats. People are just all over the floor. It’s not a pleasant experience.”
Five flights departing Luton were cancelled, but three were due to strikes in Italy, a spokesman said.
And another flier raged at BA, tweeting: “NO staff at all available to help stranded passengers from midnight to 4.30am.
“Dreadful service and still no nearer to getting help after cancelled flight. It’s chaos at Heathrow T5.”
Passengers on one flight from Luton were kept on board for six hours as the plane was stuck on the runway.
Delays are hitting London City Airport today after ten cancellations yesterday.
The complete system meltdown, which has been blamed on electrical storms in Britain and Europe, comes after London was brought to a standstill by rail cancellations.
On Friday, only two rail services out of four were running out of London’s busy St Pancras Station.
East Midlands Trains advised passengers not to travel on the St Pancras, Nottingham to Sheffield route today after damage to overhead lines.
Greater Anglia trains told rail travellers to expect cancellations from London’s Liverpool Street on Friday due to high temperatures affecting rail infrastructure.
The overnight train disruption continued into Friday, with more delays and cancellation causing rush-hour hell and trains in the wrong places overnight.
One London commuter was pictured entering a tube station in his trunks and flip flops to beat the heat.
Train lines from London to Luton, Stansted and Gatwick airports were all hit by cancellations as the travel pain continues today.
TRAIN MELTDOWN
Commuters on Great Northern and Thameslink also face travel misery as this week’s extreme heat sparks more cancellations today.
Passengers unable to get home on Thursday were stuck at St Pancras overnight, with Eurostar trains also cancelled.
An angry traveller tweeted this morning: “Hundreds of people stuck in St Pancras this morning bc Eurostar is claiming they don’t have any tickets anymore.
“Just got on the train and half of the business wagon is empty. Is this y’alls idea of customer service?”
The lack of trains meant many air passengers were also stranded at airports.
One Luton passenger raged: “Thank you so much @easyJet for letting us wait 3 and a half hours to be told that our flight is cancelled, no flights tomorrow and we are missing our families wedding in Rome tomorrow, with no explanation. Absolutely gutted.”
Passengers were stuck in Stansted and Luton when it emerged that trains weren’t running because of the blistering heat.
A spokesman for London Luton airport said: “Thunderstorms across Europe, tracking towards South East of England have resulted in air traffic control restrictions this evening, causing a number of delays and cancellations at all London airports.”
Irate motorists came close to blows after Eurotunnel went down in the blistering heat.
Shops at the Folkestone terminal ran out of food and water, while the disruption also sparked massive queues at Kings Cross.
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At London Waterloo, commuters were forced to sit on trains – some without air conditioning – after a man caused sprinted down the tracks when his dog ran off.
Passengers claim the air conditioning stopped working because the heat “overpowered it”.
At Gatwick, customers were also kept waiting for more than three hours to reclaim their baggage.
This is the second time in less than a week that the baggage system at the airport has struggled with demand.
Gatwick was forced to apologise to hundreds of customers, tweeting: “We are liaising with the airline handling agent to get this delivered as a matter of priority”.
Earlier on Thursday, the mercury hit 38C and passengers had to be rescued by rail workers at Euston after the line was down.
Network Rail announced that speed restrictions were put in place amid fears that tracks could buckle in the heat if trains travel too fast.
Speed limits on most commuter lines were cut from 60mph to 30mph on what became the hottest July day on record.
Former Manchester United and Aston Villa footballer Dion Dublin shared a picture of the chaos at Euston after the station put out a “major disruption” alert.
Extreme weather action teams were “activated” to keep passengers safe and trains running after it became the second hottest day on record.
To make matters worse, commuters trying to leave London Waterloo were left stranded on trains after a man sprinted down the tracks to chase after his dog.
HOTTEST JULY DAY
Footage showed the man running along the tracks as passengers were forced to sit on trains in the sweltering heat.
One furious commuter told The Sun Online: “The guard said a man jumped off Platform 12 onto the tracks to run after his dog, which had slipped its lead.
“As a precaution they had to turn off the electricity to the tracks, meaning the carriages are no longer air conditioned.
“I’m packed like a sardine in a carriage full of people absolutely soaked in sweat. The heat is unbearable.”
MAN ON TRACK
A spokesman for South Western Railway said: “Due to trespass on the railway between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction all lines are blocked .
“Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10pm.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of commuters were evacuated from a train yesterday in West Hampstead, North West London.
Pictures show passengers walking next to the train line as smoke could be seen billowing next to the track.
Pavements were melting in what has been dubbed “Furnace Thursday”.
Passengers faced three-and-a-half-hour delays at Eurotunnel
Faced with multiple heat related incidents across our network the responsible thing is to focus on people already travelling.
West Midlands Railway
“Faced with multiple heat related incidents across our network the responsible thing is to focus on people already travelling.
“We will be doing all we can to get people home this evening.”
Tickets dated for Thursday will be accepted for travel on Friday.
The scorching temperatures caused damage to overhead electric wires between London St Pancras and Luton, blocking all lines.
East Midlands Trains posted a message on Twitter urging passengers “DO NOT TRAVEL” and warned it had been unable to secure ticket acceptance via alternative routes.
Thameslink said “you are strongly advised not to travel”, and said journey times will be extended by up to 90 minutes.
MOST READ IN NEWS
The current record of 38.5C was set in Faversham, Kent, back in August 2003.
The UK fell just short of breaking a new record with 38.1C recorded in Cambridge on Thursday afternoon.
The previous hottest July day was recorded in July 2015 with a temperature of 36.7C, however, the weather today has topped that by nearly two degrees.
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News Photo UK airport delays – Passengers stuck on plane for TEN HOURS after air traffic control system breaks down
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