UK weather: Dozens of flights delayed as major UK airport issues fog warning

It comes after 20,000 people were affected by airport disruption on Thursday, according to travel journalist Simon Calder.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said: "As widespread fog continues to affect some UK airports today, temporary air traffic restrictions remain in place at locations with low visibility.

"Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety... Our teams are working closely with the airports and airlines to minimise disruption."

A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said "Temporary air traffic restrictions have been put in place due to fog causing poor visibility. Some flights may be delayed throughout the day."

NATS and the airport urged passengers to check their flight's status before travelling.

At Gatwick 35 departures scheduled up to 11am are delayed and 26 flight arrivals are delayed up to the same time. Two flights are cancelled.

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Speaking to Anna Jones on Sky News Breakfast about the disruption yesterday Mr Calder said: "We had at London City Airport, at London Heathrow, the busiest in Britain, at London Gatwick, the second busiest, more than 40 cancellations in and out from each of those airports."

The thick fog will continue on Saturday according to the Met Office, with some areas seeing visibility reduced to just 100 metres.

The worst of the fog is forecast to hit the South East and central England, while East Anglia and parts of South Wales will also be affected.

Can you get compensation for a delayed or cancelled flight?

The Civil Aviation authority says you won't be able to get compensation for any delays if the disruption is caused by a circumstances outside your airline's control - in this case the weather.

But your airline is obliged to get you to your destination and they must take care of you by providing food, drink, access to communications and accommodation if you are significantly delayed.

An airline that cancels a flight is obliged to find for its passengers an alternative flight as soon as possible, travel journalist Simon Calder says.

Forecasters have not issued any fog weather warnings yet but the Met Office said it will monitor the situation across the weekend.

Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said: "It's that time of year when people are travelling around the country a lot and there are a lot of people on the roads.

"There is a lot of fog covering much of England, mainly the South East and central England, but the rest of the country is seeing quite a bit of thick fog too.

"It will be pretty murky on Saturday morning and there will still be fog patches that will take a little longer to clear."

Meanwhile, there is a yellow warning in place for heavy rain in parts of Scotland for Monday and New Year's Eve on Tuesday, leaving the start of 2025 "distinctly unsettled".

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."

The yellow warning could see as much as 140mm (5.5in) of rain in places, as other parts of the UK will likely see rain, wind and possibly even snow later on next week.

The Met Office added that "more warnings are likely to be issued".

At Heathrow, British Airways was forced to cancel a handful of flights due to fog on Friday, while others were delayed.

Flights at both Gatwick and Manchester Airport were disrupted, with delays of up to three hours at Gatwick, and some passengers were diverted to other airports.

"The diversions were absolutely extreme," said Mr Calder. At Teesside Airport, flights were diverted to Newcastle, Aberdeen and even Dublin.

This could continue into the weekend if the misty weather persists.

A spokesperson for the UK's main air traffic control provider Nats said it had implemented "temporary air traffic restrictions" at several airports on Friday due to the fog.

While the fog likely won't remain past the weekend, people should not hold out hope for sustained sunshine with wet and windy conditions expected for much of the country, the Met Office said.

-SKY NEWS