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“Captive Onboard”, Passenger Flying To Heathrow Airport Frustrated Over 3-Hour Delay

Flights flying from and to Heathrow Airport in London are facing delays and cancellations due to bad weather and staff shortages.

by Sanjana Shenoy
“Captive Onboard”, Passenger Flying To Heathrow Airport Frustrated Over 3-Hour Delay

Passengers flying from or to Heathrow airport in London are taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share their frustrations after facing flight delays and cancellations. Strong winds and staff shortages at Heathrow airport led to air traffic control restrictions. This has caused “minor changes” to flight schedules, stated the airport. One passenger shared on X that passengers were almost held “captive onboard” due to flight delays. Here’s more about it.

Passengers Take To X To Share Turmoils While Flying To Heathrow Airport

An X user, @TMaloney17 took to the microblogging site to share what passengers underwent when a flight from Manchester to Heathrow Airport faced delays om November 19. @TMaloney17, says, “Boarded a flight scheduled for a 7:25am departure from Manchester to Heathrow Airport, and once on board we are informed that there’s a minimum of 2 hours delay due to poor weather at Heathrow, but we can’t get off and they have no idea if we will make connecting flights.”

Another post, shows the passenger, wearing jeans, sitting onboard. @TMaloney17 informs, “Now delay will be over 3 hours and we are kept captive on board.” With a 3-hour delay, passengers have no option but to quietly sit in the flight which still hasn’t been delayed on the ground. Another passenger, @Junior_Fares_ shares a picture of the cabin and says, “Same here it’s fuming we’ve been held for 3 hours and still going”. @KUkcirtaP speculates in the comments section that the delay has nothing to do with the weather.

According to a report by The Guardian, a spokesperson for Heathrow Airport stated that strong wind is in the forecast. Moreover, this may cause minor changes in the flight schedule. The spokesperson said they want to reassure passengers that they are closely working with air traffic control partners to get them safely on their journey as soon as possible. 

Delays Caused By Strong Winds & Staff Shortages

Heathrow Airport
Picture Credits: Canva

However, the weather is not the only reason for the delay. Staff shortage is also a prominent reason. National Air Traffic Services (NATS)  revealed in a statement the delays were caused by staff shortages at the tower and strong winds at Heathrow. National Air Traffic Services stated that they were working closely with Heathrow Airport and airlines.to minimise disruption. And they reassured passengers that despite the inconvenience caused by they restrictions, they are implementing them to ensure passenger safety.

Also Read: Ashneer Grover & Wife Disallowed From Boarding International Flight; Explains What Happened At Airport

A report by The Independent states that only short-haul flights to and from Heathrow Airport have been affected by the delays.  Many British Airways flights faced the brunt of the delays caused by strong winds and staff shortages. Short-haul flights to Milan, Berlin, Oslo and Madrid faced delays and cancellations. Around 10,000 passengers have been affected by the cancellations on November 19. But it remains unclear how long this situation will continue.

Also Read: Premium Suvidha Trains Cost More Than Flight Ticket; Railways Plans To Reconsider Fare Structure

Meanwhile, if you are travelling to or from Heathrow Airport make sure you check with your airline about the status of your flight.

Cover Image Courtesy: @TMaloney17/ X

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First Published: November 20, 2023 11:19 AM