Christmas travel latest: Chaos continues as flights cancelled and Met Office predicts snow
Storm Pia has unleashed Christmas travel chaos as two major train line closures caused mass cancellations across the UK and flights are grounded due to high winds, while a sudden French strike also forced the Eurotunnel to close.
British Airways has grounded at least 20 short haul – domestic and European – flights from London Heathrow, blaming air-traffic control restrictions.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “Due to the continuing air traffic control restrictions put in place because of Storm Pia, we have had to make some adjustments to our schedule.”
Meanwhile, the Port of Dover in Kent said it is taking about 90 minutes to process cars with pre-booked tickets.
It attributed the delay to a surge in demand for ferries after the Channel Tunnel rail link was closed on Thursday due to unscheduled industrial action by French workers, which ruined the travel plans of tens of thousands of people.
Eurostar trains have now resumed, but an estimated 25,000 passengers booked on Eurostar on Thursday found their cross-Channel trains cancelled.
It comes as snow and ice warnings are in force across northern Scotland and Shetland, with further rain and wind warnings over the Christmas weekend.
