The return to school and work has been hampered by an Arctic blast as snow and ice have wreaked havoc on roads, railways and airports.
Britain is bracing for another day of wintry weather after the Met Office issued amber and yellow warnings for snow and ice, with nearly six inches of snow predicted in places.
Hundreds of schools have been forced to shut in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland today for the second day after treacherous road conditions.
While the snow-covered hills are a welcome sight for many, the snowy conditions coupled with sub-zero temperatures are wreaking havoc on travel today.
Railways affected by snow
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In parts of Scotland where an amber weather warning is in place, a further 5-10cm of snow is expected widely today after wintry showers last night, with some spots on higher ground seeing up to 15cm of snow.
In Glasgow, the city’s subway was ground to a halt this morning after ice on the third rail caused a power failure on the network.
LNER issued a do not travel warning between Edinburgh and Aberdeen today as no services will run until after 2pm. Also, several Aberdeen to London King’s Cross services will start from Edinburgh instead.
ScotRail warned that disruption due to heavy snow is expected to continue until the end of the day, with safety checks being carried out on several routes in northern Scotland and the Highlands. Tickets dated from Friday will be accepted up to Thursday at no extra cost.
Meanwhile, passengers on Merseyrail Wirral and Northern services face cancellations today due to wintry weather, National Rail warned, with trains to and from Southport, Headbolt Lane, Ormskirk, Hunts Cross, Ellesmere Port and Chester affected.
Flights
On Monday, Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness airports, and a number of flights to and from Sumburgh Airport in Shetland were cancelled, as were several departures from Kirkwall Airport in Orkney.
A spate of cancellations and delays continued at Aberdeen airport today, with some KLM, easyJet and Loganair flights affected.
KLM’s flights to Amsterdam were axed today after Schiphol airport is struggling with snow and ice for the fourth day. An easyJet flight to London from Aberdeen was cancelled, according to Flightradar24, but later flights have been scheduled to go ahead with slight delays.
Meanwhile, most flights from Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Internatioanl appeared to be running business as usual.
Driving in snowy conditions
National Highways, which oversees major roads in England, said its teams are prepared and monitoring conditions, but winter weather might still affect journeys today, and drivers should plan ahead and take extra care.
Motorists in snow-covered areas are urged to stick to main roads and only travel if necessary, and drive slower than usual as it can take 10 times longer to stop on an icy road.
Traffic Scotland said icy mornings can put drivers’ safety at risk and all windows should be free from frost and snow before hitting the road. However, motorists keen to get on the road quickly should avoid using hot or boiling water as this could cause cracks and use de-icer instead.
What are my rights if my flight has been cancelled?
In the UK and EU, airlines must look after you if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
This includes everything from meals and accommodation to an alternative flight if necessary.
Citizen’s Advice says that airlines should also give impacted passengers access to phone calls and emails, and, if they offer you a place to stay, organize the journeys between the hotel and the airport.
Sometimes, the airline will cover this by handing you vouchers at the airport. When in doubt, keep any receipts for expenses and claim them back afterwards from the airline.
But an airline will only cough up money for ‘reasonable’ expenses.
The hotel minibar or penthouse suites are not up for grabs.
If you didn’t book with a UK or EU airline, you’ll need to check their terms and conditions. However, for the most part, airlines should provide meals and accommodation as appropriate.
When am I eligible for this support?
Whether you’re eligible for the above depends on the distance of your flight and how long you have waited:
For medium-haul (between 1,500km and 3,500km over two to four hours), it’s three hours or more.
For long-haul (more than 3,500km over four hours or more), it’s four hours or more.
For short-haul (up to 1,500km over two hours or less), you must have been waiting for two hours or more.
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