Passengers have been left stranded at a UK airport after lightning strikes forced planes to divert, causing misery for hundreds of holidaymakers.
Thunderstorms and lightning wreaked havoc at Luton this evening, with several planes diverted to other airports while roads were drenched.
Many unsuspecting passengers were taken hundreds of miles from their planned destination, and left to organize their own travel, while others have had weekend plans cut short by the chaos.
Flights at Luton were suspended between 5.40pm and 7.15pm after the air traffic control equipment was affected, causing a spate of cancellations and diversions.
Meanwhile, torrential rain had caused flash flooding on roads outside the airport, with routes closed after they became submerged.
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Footage shows people with suitcases walking on the A-road as they make their way to and from the airport.
One passenger warned others that the situation was ‘a disaster.’
Operations have since resumed, but several easyJet flight departures were cancelled, while a number of arrivals were diverted elsewhere.
The airport said: ‘Flights to and from London Luton Airport have now resumed, following an earlier suspension, caused by a lightning strike affecting Air Traffic Control equipment.
‘While flights are operating again, some services may continue to experience delays or cancellations as airlines work to recover their schedules.
‘Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline.
‘We apologize for the disruption caused and thank passengers for their patience and understanding while the issue was resolved. Safety will always remain our highest priority.’
One of the airports receiving diverted flights was East Midlands Airport.
Metro understands that the airport received around 10 additional flights suddenly, with potentially thousands of extra passengers from airlines which do not normally operate from the airport and have no staff there.
A mum, whose daughter was on a diverted easyJet flight from Belfast to Luton, said the plane was diverted to East Midlands due to the stormy weather.
Sue told Metro that her daughter Amy was able to disembark after a two-hour wait on the tarmac.
The 22-year-old found herself waiting for a bus with ‘lots of very confusing people with no idea of where they were going,’ Sue said.
She said Amy ended up teaming up with four other young women for an Uber towards St Albans as they were all ‘travelling alone, and were in an unfamiliar place with no idea of when and if they would get a bus.’
Metro understands that airlines are responsible for organising onward travel after diversions.
The thunderstorm front is sweeping across large parts of England and Wales, marking an end to the scorching weather.
A yellow Met Office warning for thunder and heavy rain is active until 5pm tomorrow in London and South East, East Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire and Humber.
What are your rights when a flight is 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.
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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