UK airport delays live: Gatwick and Heathrow cancel or delay dozens of flights as fog causes travel chaos

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and rain in Scotland next week, warning that heavy downpours may bring “significant disruption” in the build-up to Hogmanay.

The alert is in place for most of Scotland, apart from Orkney and Shetland, on December 30 and 31 during which 50-70mm of rain is possible, with up to 140mm in the west.

Snow is likely in areas north and east of Perthshire, with between 10 and 20cm expected to accumulate on higher ground, according to the forecaster.

A yellow weather warning for wind in northern England on Monday has also been issued – with gusts of up to 60mph possible which may cause travel delays and power cuts.

The warning, in place from 11am to 6pm, covers areas including Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

Disruption is continuing at some of the UK’s busiest airports as thick fog blankets the country.

Flights at Stansted airport have been affected by the weather conditions, while live departure boards showed delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester airports.

Passengers at Gatwick airport on Saturday morning were warned to expect disruption because of the poor visibility and told to contact their airline for updated information.

Patches of thick fog could reduce visibility to just 100 metres in some areas, the Met Office said.

A spokesperson for the Gatwick said: “Temporary air traffic restrictions have been put in place due to fog causing poor visibility.

“Some flights may be delayed throughout the day.”

Sunday is expected to be the airport’s busiest day during the holiday period, with 769 flights planned.

Nats, the UK’s main air traffic control provider, said temporary air restrictions would remain in place on Saturday in areas with low visibility.

A spokesperson added: “Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety.

“We continue to monitor the situation and have a Met Office expert embedded within our operation to ensure we have the latest available information.”

There is a yellow warning in place for heavy rain and snow in parts of Scotland for Monday and New Year’s Eve on Tuesday.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations could face “significant disruption” from rain, with organisers warning audiences to “prepare for all weather, wrap up warm and double-check with your travel operator for the latest updates”.

With the fog that has smothered the country over the Christmas period expected to lift soon the Met Office has warned of snow and heavy rain causing potential flooding until the New Year.

The forecaster has issued an upgraded yellow heavy rain and snow warning across parts of Scotland kicking in on Monday and lasting until midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Low-lying fog over Huddersfield, Yorkshire. The murky weather has shrouded much of the country over the past few days and shows little sign of abating yet.

Kiera Quayle, from Colchester, Essex, was due to fly from Isle of Man Airport to London Gatwick on Friday evening with her husband after visiting his family – but their flight was delayed by three hours before eventually being cancelled at around 10pm, with their next available journey on Sunday.

“Our five days has turned to seven, it looks like,” Ms Quayle, 30, said.

“It’s frustrating and stressful but I overheard a few families who are now missing holidays and work who have it worse at this point.

“We’re frustrated about the lack of communication – we all knew the flight would likely be cancelled, but just putting it as delayed in an airport where the only food was crisps from the bar wasn’t fair.

“We are splitting our time between in-laws houses as people go back to work and their routines after Christmas – we’re trying not to impose too much at this point and we’re grateful we have places we can stay that aren’t hotels.”

Passengers for flights delayed more than two hours may be entitled to assistance with providing food and drink or overnight accommodation if necessary, an expert from consumer website Which? said.

Jo Rhodes, Which? travel expert, said: “If your flight is cancelled, you also have the choice of being refunded or rerouted on the next available flight.

“If you choose the latter, then your airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible – including with a rival carrier, if necessary.

“Airlines can sometimes be reluctant to buy you a ticket with their competitors, so don’t be afraid to remind them of this rule if another flight could get you where you need to go quicker than they can.”

A plane lands in the mist at Cardiff Airport. The murky weather has shrouded much of the country over the past few days and shows little sign of abating yet.

In some areas, thick fog patches could reduce visibility down to just 100 metres.

The fog will linger long into the afternoon in the South East, the Met Office has warned in its latest update.