Over 100 flights have reportedly been cancelled at Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport, London, UK due to snow, with a total of 185 flights cancelled across the airport's five terminals due to the bad weather.
Two runways were closed briefly after heavy snow fell in London between 0700 and 0800 BST, with the airport using snowblower and snowbrusher vehicles to remove the snow, while airlines had to de-ice aircraft before taking off.
British Airways said one in ten flights due to leave Terminal 5 on 7 April were cancelled due to the bad weather, resulting in 34 cancellations, with 144 flights cancelled on 6 April due to snowfalls. It confirmed over 60 of its flights to the terminal and a similar number from it, were grounded, as air traffic controllers reduced the number of aircraft able to take off and land.
The cancellations due to bad weather have added to the disruption of Terminal 5's opening week, due to problems with the terminal's automated baggage system, which BAA claimed have now been resolved.
Passengers said scuffles have broken out between passengers and staff as they tried to get on and off buses inside the airport, according to BBC News, although a BAA spokesman said he had not had reports of such incidents.
In addition, 55 flights, most of which were BA and easyJet domestic and short haul flights, were cancelled at Gatwick, with some long-haul flights diverted to other airports including Bournemouth, Manchester and Stansted.
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