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Whilst terrified villagers spend their last few pennies on emergency supplies, fearing the end of the world in an explosion of snow and ice, Gatwick Airport is struggling to come to terms with a different kind of disaster – the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
On Tuesday, a powerful snowstorm blew in from Siberia, freezing cows in their tracks, and flooding the fields with fluffy snow. Factories were closed, grit trucks tipped over, and cars spent hours travelling just a few metres.
For large swathes of the country, there’s been no reprieve from the weather. Businesses remain closed, and most of the UK’s airports are still trying to offset the delays caused by several inches of snow.
Manchester and Liverpool airports, both of which were forced to close on Tuesday, have since managed to pry open the front doors and let planes take off and land, but Gatwick is still trying to dig itself out of the drifts.
Over 400 flights have been frozen since Tuesday. British Airways cancelled all outgoing flights on Wednesday, much to the dismay of its passengers, who spent the night on the floor at the London airport, whilst EasyJet axed seventy on Thursday morning.
Gatwick is currently operational, but passengers are being warned to expect frequent closures, as staff members try to de-ice the runway.
A statement on the official website reads – “There are significant disruptions to all flights arriving at Gatwick Airport. We are working hard to keep the runway clear, although the threat of more snow and ice remains.”
If you are travelling to a British airport today, or over the weekend, please contact your airline before leaving your house. The Times Online website is running a daily bulletin of all the problems affecting major airports. You can read it here.
Comments - 1
1. michael
13th Jan 2010 - 08:55 AM
Defeatist attitude, drives me nuts.
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