Thunderstorms across parts of the UK disrupt flights at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, leading to hundreds of cancellations and delays over the weekend. Multiple outlets report that the disruption follows thunderstorms linked to changing weather from a heatwave into stormy conditions. Reports say nearly 800 flights are delayed in total so far, with additional services cancelled. Flight tracking information cited by one outlet indicates hundreds of arrivals or departures at each airport are affected, while passenger information boards show examples of long delays.
Air traffic control and European air traffic management sources cited in coverage indicate that weather disruption is expected to continue through the day, with uncertainty around where the most unstable air will affect flight routes. Flights may need to avoid a broader area of hot, unstable air over and around the south of the UK and parts of Europe, contributing to ongoing delays. In parallel, there are reports of lightning-related damage on the ground, including incidents in Crawley and Streatham. Overall, the coverage indicates the operational impact is likely to persist for the rest of the weekend as storm conditions evolve.
