Christmas Travel LIVE: Traffic chaos on motorways while getaways hit by cancelled flights
National Highways reports severe congestion across UK as millions take to roads ahead of Christmas
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Your support makes all the difference.Thousands of travellers hoping to reach home for Christmas have had to organise last minute alternatives, as flights, ferries and trains have been cancelled across the UK, while drivers face traffic chaos on motorways.
National Highways is reporting severe congestion on multiple roads across the country, including the M6, M5 and M25.
It said the M1 has now reopened although drivers were still warned of delays after emergency services were called to a van fire there on Monday morning.
More than 100 flights at Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, were cancelled on Sunday. Dozens of ferry routes in Scotland and Ireland were not running due to the bad weather, while rail passengers faced chaos as Northern cancelled all trains on 11 routes.
Snow over the weekend also caused chaos on the M62, with one lane closed, as millions have taken to the country’s motorways ahead of Christmas.
More snow is expected near the end December, with the Met Office forecasting ice, sleet and snow is set to hit the north of the country and perhaps also central areas.
However, conditions are expected to improve this week after the widespread disruption caused by the “perfect storm” of adverse weather conditions and road congestion. The forecaster is currently predicting a “grey Christmas” with some sunny spells and “extremely mild” temperatures.
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Map: When and where to expect the worst traffic jams this Christmas
Airport security announcement from Simon Calder
The travel correspondent of The Independent was formerly a security officer at Gatwick airport. With millions still to fly over the festive season, Simon Calder gives some seasonal advice.
Allow for long security queues
For people hoping to breeze through airport security, Christmas and New Year comprise a perfect storm. Fellow passengers:
- May be infrequent travellers and understandably unfamiliar with the rituals and rules on sharp objects and liquids
- Are carrying fragile and/or non-compliant gifts, eg bottles or snow globes as gifts, slowing things down further
- Tend to have coats, hats and scarves because it’s cold outside, adding to the quantity to be scanned
Wrap presents after security
Checkpoint staff may need to take a look at unfamiliar items. It will not be a great start to your festive journey if you have to stand and watch someone tear apart all your careful wrapping to examine the gift.
Leave Christmas crackers out
Some airports and airlines let them fly as cabin baggage, and some do not.
Liquid warnings
While the hope was that all UK airports would have new scanners that allow liquids to be taken through security in larger quantities by the end of 2024, in fact the rules everywhere have reverted to the 100ml limit for containers of liquids, aerosols and gels. They must be inside a clear, resealable 1 litre container.
If you plan to buy a bottle as a gift, wait until duty free; if you have connecting flights, buy at the last airport before your destination.
One celebratory drink is enough
Sorry to nag, but please don’t drink too much before or during your flight. Signs at Gatwick and other airports warn: “It is an offence for you to get on and be on an aircraft when drunk.”
Jet2 says it “will not permit any person to enter or be in an aircraft when suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the extent that the safety of the aircraft or its occupants are likely to be endangered”.
Other airlines have similar policies.
Map: When and where to expect the worst traffic jams this Christmas
When and where to expect the worst traffic jams this Christmas
The busiest days have also been revealed
Aviation investigators fly to Belfast
A team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has travelled to Belfast City airport in Northern Ireland to assess the incident in which an Aer Lingus Regional plane landed heavily and its nosewheel collapsed. No passengers were on board the ATR 72 aircraft inbound from Edinburgh, and the crew were unharmed.
The runway was closed for the rest of Sunday on one of the busiest days of the winter for aviation. Dozens of flights were diverted or cancelled.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said in a statement: “An investigation has begun into an accident involving a fixed-wing aircraft which occurred at Belfast City Airport on 22 December 2024.
“AAIB inspectors have commenced the on-site investigation to gather evidence and make enquiries.”
Western Isles ferries: Christmas Eve disruption
Scotland’s main ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne, has revised schedules for Christmas Eve.
The link between Oban and the island of Barra has been rescheduled, with the morning sailing from the island brought forward by three hours to 4am. After crossing to Oban, the vessel will spend only 15 minutes in port before sailing back to Barra four hours ahead of schedule. As a result of rescheduling, one sailing from Oban to the island of Mull is cancelled on Christmas Eve morning.
Calmac is also warning on passengers on the Mallaig-Armadale link to southern Skye: “Due to forecast adverse weather, all sailings are liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice.”
On Monday, the link between Wemyss Bay and Rothesay on the isle of Bute is also under threat. The ferry line says: “Due to a forecast of poor visibility later this afternoon, this service is liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice.”
A round-up of the disruption facing the UK’s major airports
- Heathrow: Running smoothly after Sunday's weather-related cancellations – more than 100 flights were grounded, affecting 15,000 passengers. Inbound on Monday morning, British Airways from Johannesburg is six hours late due to a delayed departure from South Africa.
- Gatwick: Unlike Heathrow, there is no curfew at the Sussex airport – which was very busy overnight on Sunday into Monday, with many flights delayed by an hour or so. Worst delay was Tui from Barbados, arriving three hours behind schedule.
- Manchester: A similar picture to Gatwick: flights operating but delays overnight. Manchester was the starting point for the first passenger plane to land at Belfast City airport after the Northern Ireland airport reopened on Monday morning following the runway closure.
- Stansted: Unlike Sunday morning, the express rail link from London is running normally. Passengers on Ryanair from Tirana were expecting to arrive shortly after midnight, but instead landed three hours late. One notable arrival scheduled for Monday afternoon: a Titan Airways jet decorated as Santa’s Lapland, returning from Ivalo in Arctic Finland.
- Luton: Some disruption on Sunday evening, believed to be because of severe weather, saw an easyJet flight from Grenoble diverted to East Midlands. Other easyJet flights, including to Amsterdam and Glasgow, were about an hour late. On Monday morning, Ryanair has taken a couple of one-hour delays to Dublin and Knock in Ireland.
Watch: Christmas rail travel disrupted by station closures and strike action
M1 reopens after van fire but drivers still warned of delays
The part of the M1 that was closed due to a vehicle fire has now reopened.
The motorway was shut northbound between J22, near Leicester, and J23, near Loughborough, after a vehicle blaze.
National Highways said on Monday morning that drivers are still facing delays there of around 10 minutes.
Belfast City Airport reopens after landing emergency
Belfast City Airport’s runway is “operating at normal” after it was forced to close following an emergency incident.
A plane’s nose wheel collapsed as it landed in the airport amid adverse weather conditions on Sunday afternoon.
There were four crew on board and no passengers when the hard landing occurred.
The incident triggered emergency procedures at Belfast City Airport and forced the runway to close for the rest of the day.
Several flights were redirected.
Emerald Airlines, which was operating the flight, said the incident was a result of adverse weather conditions that has been disrupting travel across the UK.
On Monday morning, Belfast City Airport said normal operations were resuming.
In a statement, it said: “The runway at Belfast City Airport has now reopened and normal operations will resume today.
“Passengers impacted by yesterday’s runway closure or those due to travel today should check the status of their flight with the airline before making their way to the airport.”
Part of M1 is closed as van is on fire with drivers facing huge delays
Part of the M1 is closed because a van is on fire, with drivers facing huge delays.
National Highways said the M1 remains closed northbound between J22, near Leicester, and J23, near Loughborough, on Monday morning.
It added that emergency services including Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service continue to work at the scene where a van is on fire.
A diversion route is in place for motorists, although they are advised to allow for extra journey time amid delays, or even to postpone travel.
Pictures show long queues building up on that section of the motorway.
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