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Airlines on the East Coast recently canceled over 2,700 flights in two days.

Long gone are the days, at the height of the pandemic, when air travelers avoided flying for fear of catching COVID-19.

The busy summer travel season is here, and airlines are struggling to keep up with the demand of millions of people flying again, on top of a myriad of issues that have complicated air travel.

What happened this past weekend to slow flights?

Severe weather, the busy summer travel season and FAA Air Traffic Control restrictions put a major damper on air travel on the East Coast last Thursday and Friday, grounding thousands of flights.

Airlines on the East Coast canceled more than 1,700 flights on Thursday and more than 1,400 on Friday, according Flightaware. More than 95% of flights around the country departed, despite the high number of cancellations.

Thousands of flights canceled as busy summer travel season heats up

Why is Florida a particular problem area?

Flights to Florida have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, setting new records. The increased number of flights, in addition to weekly rocket launches and major staffing issues at Jacksonville's Air Traffic Control Center, force the FAA to reduce the number of planes that can enter the airspace, resulting in airlines canceling or delaying flights.

Staffing issues at the Jacksonville Center, one of the busiest air traffic control centers in the country aren't expected to be fixed soon, since hiring and training air traffic controllers take years.

Will this happen again?

Neither the airlines nor the FAA will be able to singlehandedly solve the problem, which will result in more cancellations. When storms pop up, the risk of severe delays and cancellations is possible, especially on the East Coast.

Once storms move in and the FAA issues ground delays and stops, there's little wiggle room. With full flights, there is not much room to move people around to alternate flights.

Unfortunately for flyers, airlines are not required to compensate or provide hotels for flight delays or cancellations that are out of their control -- for example, due to the weather.

If I look out the window and it's sunny, why is my flight delayed by weather?

You often hear, "I'm looking out the window and it's sunny, why are they blaming the weather?"

If a pilot's flight to Miami is canceled out of LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Friday night, the plane and pilot are not available to take the morning flight from Miami to its next destination.

Moving planes and crew around during massive disruptions takes time. The airlines are reducing their schedules in July and August to have more of a cushion with crews and planes, but it won't make things perfect.

Domestic airfare up 40% from start of the year: Hopper

What happened to the bailout money?

The pandemic was rough on the airline industry. Sinking demand resulted in billions of dollars in lost revenue and thousands of jobs lost. The government gave airlines a $54 billion lifeline to stay afloat during the pandemic, but the money went to the staff to keep them working and operations moving forward.

The government required the airlines to keep planes in the air despite taking in little revenue. Had the bailout money not come, some airlines likely would have shut down and the situation as a country would likely be far worse than it is today.

Once they are shut down, it's far more difficult to restart. Keeping planes in the air allowed vaccines to be transported, kept the supply chain moving by hauling critical freight and resumed operations for travelers much faster. It also kept hundreds of thousands of employees off unemployment.

Do airlines have enough staff? And what's going on with pilots?

Airlines are short on pilots and flight attendants and are working around the clock to hire and train people to join their ranks.

American, Delta and United are hiring roughly 200 pilots per month, but it may not be enough to fill in the gaps. The Regional Airline Association said the U.S. is expected to lose half its pilots in 15 years. Delta alone lost 1,800 pilots to early retirement to keep the airline operating during the pandemic.

"The airlines are underwater and trying to breathe through a straw," American 737 Captain and Union spokesperson Dennis Tajer told ABC News in April. "Airlines are poaching each other's pilots. It's stunning the level of aggression."

The federal government caps the hours pilots can work for safety reasons, but they're working more than ever in many cases. American and Delta pilots are also in contract negotiations and are using this as a negotiating tactic.

Related Topics

Airlines work to move past delays after FAA outage blamed on corrupted file

Airlines were working to put travel chaos behind them Thursday after a computer outage forced the Federal Aviation Administration to halt all departures nationwide as it raced to resolve the issue.

As of early Thursday, just over 440 flights in, to and out of the U.S. were delayed, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware — a paltry number compared to the thousands of flights that were delayed Wednesday after the system that sends pilots key information they need to fly suffered the outage.

A senior government official said the issue was caused by a corrupted file that affected both the primary and backup systems of the FAA’s Notice to Air Mission system, or NOTAM. Officials continue to investigate, they said.

The FAA said in a statement it was "continuing a thorough review to determine the root cause" of the outage. "Our preliminary work has traced the outage to a damaged database file. At this time, there is no evidence of a cyber attack," it said.

In a news release on its website, Delta Air Lines said it was expecting “minimal residual impact, if any, on Thursday.” United Airlines and Southwest Airlines were expecting operations to run as normal. American Airlines did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment.

Passengers and carriers alike hoped to see operations return to normal, but Chris Torres, the vice president of the Allied Pilots Association, warned that the chaotic situation could "cause ripple effects."

“This thing was lifted at 9 a.m. Eastern. That doesn’t mean the problem stops at 9 a.m. This is going to cause ripple effects,” Torres, whose members fly for American Airlines, told Reuters .

Flight delays and cancellations can prove major inconveniences to customers flying within the U.S., as long driving distances and a relatively limited passenger rail network make for grueling alternatives.

Anyone whose flight was canceled is entitled to a full refund, according to  Transportation Department guidelines . Meanwhile, major domestic carriers like American,  United and Delta said they would waive the fees of travelers who wanted to rebook flights.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg  said  Wednesday night that the FAA would work to further pinpoint the source of the issue and identify steps to prevent it from happening again. He echoed the agency in saying there is no evidence of a cyberattack.

“One of the questions we need to look at right now, and one of the things I’m asking from FAA, is what’s the state of the art in this form of message traffic?”  Buttigieg told NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell  earlier Wednesday. “And again, how is it possible for there to be this level of disruption?”

President Joe Biden ordered an investigation after he was briefed by Buttigieg.

Chantal Da Silva is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in London. 

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FAA Outage Updates: Travel Chaos Continues as 7,100 U.S. Flights Delayed

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop of all U.S. flights until 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, after a failure of Notice to Air Missions system (NOTAM) caused a major outage.
• More than 7,100 flights have been delayed so far, according to FlightAware.
• The FAA says the pause on all flights was to "allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information."
• President Joe Biden has directed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct an investigation into what caused the incident.
• U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there is no indication of a cyber attack, but the U.S. is not ruling it out yet.

Live updates have ended.

• Latest: Over 7,100 U.S. Flights Delayed

Ground Stop Lifted at O'Hare, Midway Airports

'minimal impact' to ups deliveries today, before and after photos show scale of u.s. flight groundings.

• Biden Calls for Full Investigation Into FAA System Outage

US Officials See No Evidence of Foul Play

There is "no evidence of foul play" regarding the FAA system outage that grounded all domestic flights Wednesday morning, a U.S. official told CNN.

The White House said earlier that there is "no evidence of a cyberattack" at this point in the investigation into the cause of the issue.

During an interview with CNN, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed there is no indication of a cyber attack, but added that the U.S. is not ruling it out at this time.

Buttigieg said he directed an "after-action process" to determine root causes and recommend next steps.

FAA has determined that the safety system affected by the overnight outage is fully restored, and the nationwide ground stop will be lifted effective immediately. I have directed an after-action process to determine root causes and recommend next steps. — Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) January 11, 2023

• Pete Buttigieg relentlessly mocked after FAA outage grounds all flights

Delta Offers Waiver, Cancels 130 Flights

Delta Airlines is offering a waiver to its customers amid today's flight disruptions.

"A fare difference waiver for all Delta and Delta Connection flights on Wednesday, Jan. 11, will give customers additional flexibility to change their flights, even if their flight isn't delayed or canceled," Delta wrote in a statement Wednesday.

The airline has been forced to cancel 130 flights after "all other options were exhausted," warning there is a potential for further delays and cancellations.

"Delta will continue to work with the FAA on strategic delay programs at certain airports throughout the day," the statement continues. "These are necessary to prevent further congestion on the ground and to ensure we have enough available gate space at airports."

For additional information on Delta's waiver, click here.

The United Parcel Service (UPS) reports only minor impacts to air operations following the FAA ground stop.

A spokesperson from UPS told Newsweek that flights have resumed and there is "minimal impact" to today's scheduled deliveries.

DOT Doesn't Know Cause of Outage, Biden Says

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) does not know what caused the computer outage that grounded all U.S. flights early Wednesday, President Joe Biden said.

"I just spoke to [U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete] Buttigieg," Biden said Wednesday at the White House, the Associated Press reported. "They don't know what the cause is. But I was on the phone with him about 10 minutes. I told him to report directly to me when they find out."

Biden has directed the DOT to conduct a full investigation into the cause. However the White House said there is "no evidence of a cyberattack at this point."

The ground stop has now been lifted at Chicago's O'Hare and Midway International Airports.

Both airports kept the restriction in place after the FAA officially lifted its ground stop earlier this morning. Flights are now beginning to board and prepare for departure, the airport said in separate tweets.

Residual delays or cancellations will likely continue throughout the day as a result of the FAA's system outage Wednesday morning.

The ground stop has been lifted. Flights are beginning to board and prepare for departure. Residual delays or cancellations will likely continue throughout the day as a result of this morning's outage. Passengers are still urged to check flight status before leaving for airport. — O'Hare Intl. Airport (@fly2ohare) January 11, 2023

Over 7,100 U.S. Flights Delayed

Noon Update: Flight delays continue to climb into the afternoon. More than 7,100 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been delayed as of 12:05 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware. More than 1,100 others have been canceled.

Another day of travel chaos in the U.S as passengers on thousands of flights are delayed. Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has now lifted the ground stop, the number of delayed flights continues to climb.

More than 6,100 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been delayed as of 10:48 a.m. ET, according to FlightAware. More than 1,000 others have been canceled.

Where are the most flights delayed? Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL), Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) Denver International (DEN) and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airports (DFW) are showing the highest amount of flight delays at this time.

Today's problems follow a series of issues over the Christmas holiday when weather caused days of cancellations and delays. Southwest Airlines also canceled more than half of its flights for a couple of days amid an operational meltdown.

Southwest, United Expect Delays, Cancellations

Airlines are preparing to resume flights across the country as the FAA lifts its ground stop.

Ina statement to Newsweek , Southwest Airlines told passengers that it "anticipates some schedule adjustments" as the system malfunction issue is resolved.

We're closely monitoring a data issue with the FAA that may impact the start of operations today Jan 11, 2023. Please check your flight status in the Southwest app or on https://t.co/qJUDbsC3g0 for any flight status changes. — Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) January 11, 2023

United Airlines told Newsweek that it has resumed operations following the ground stop. Customers, however, may still see some delays and cancellations as the airline works to restore its schedule, United said.

United also activated a travel waiver for "any customers who need to change their plans, including offering refunds for customers who no longer want to travel."

If your flight this morning was delayed due to the FAA-issued ground stop, we have issued a travel waiver to allow you the freedom to change your travel plans: https://t.co/anE9hGuZ9r — United Airlines (@united) January 11, 2023

Flights Remain Grounded at Chicago's O'Hare, Midway

Ground stops remain in place at two major Chicago-area airports, despite the FAA's announcement that flights can resume.

The @FAANews is experiencing a nationwide system outage this morning. A ground stop for all inbound and outbound flights at O'Hare continues to be in place. — O'Hare Intl. Airport (@fly2ohare) January 11, 2023

A ground stop for all inbound and outbound flights at Chicago O'Hare International and Chicago Midway International Airports continue following the FAA system failure.

Leadership at both airports say they remain in touch with the FAA and their airline partners to "minimize impacts to flight operations."

Airport leadership remains in touch with the FAA and its airline partners to minimize impacts to flight operations. Travelers are encouraged to check their flight status before leaving for the airport, and to download their airline's mobile app for available rebooking options. — Midway Intl. Airport (@fly2midway) January 11, 2023

Flights to Resume 'Gradually' After Ground Stop Lifted

The FAA has lifted the ground stop issued after a system outage that grounded all domestic flights Wednesday morning.

Normal air operations are resuming "gradually" across the country, the FAA said in an update at 8:50 a.m. ET.

The cause of the problem is still under investigation.

Update 5: Normal air traffic operations are resuming gradually across the U.S. following an overnight outage to the Notice to Air Missions system that provides safety info to flight crews. The ground stop has been lifted. We continue to look into the cause of the initial problem — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 11, 2023

Flight tracking website FlightRadar tweeted two images showing air traffic in the American sky on January 4 and January 11, amidst an FAA system failure that has left thousands of flights grounded across the country. More than 500 flights were canceled.

"Flights to US airports have been groundstopped by the FAA until at least 09:30 ET (1430 UTC)," FlightRadar wrote.

"This means any flight not in the air already will not be allowed to depart. Image: flights over US now compared to same time last week. About 700 fewer flights airborne now."

Flights to US airports have been groundstopped by the FAA until at least 09:30 ET (1430 UTC). This means any flight not in the air already will not be allowed to depart. Image: flights over US now compared to same time last week. About 700 fewer flights airborne now. pic.twitter.com/LmXFlq0LnD — Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 11, 2023

More Than 500 Flights Canceled In U.S.

Over 500 flights were canceled across the U.S. as a result of a nationwide system failure the FAA experienced early Wednesday. Thousands of flights have been grounded and delayed until 9 a.m. ET, when the FAA expects to resolve the issue.

By 8:30 a.m. ET, more than 3,700 flights into and out of the U.S. were delayed, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The delays were spread across several airlines, including United, American and Southwest.

The current delays and cancellations come at a difficult time for air travel in the U.S. as hundreds of flights were canceled and thousands delayed over the Christmas holiday period due to bad weather.

Departures Resume From Georgia and New Jersey

Flight departures have resumed from airports in Georgia and New Jersey, according to the FAA, as the agency reports that it's "making progress" in restoring its Notice to Air Missions system following an overnight outage that has left thousands of flights stranded across the country.

The FAA wrote that departures are resuming at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia "due to air traffic congestion in those areas."

The agency expects departures to resume at other airports at 9 a.m. ET as previously announced.

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Provides Update

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he has been in touch with the FAA earlier this morning.

Writing on Twitter, Buttigieg said: "I have been in touch with FAA this morning about an outage affecting a key system for providing safety information to pilots.

"FAA is working to resolve this issue swiftly and safely so that air traffic can resume normal operations, and will continue to provide updates."

I have been in touch with FAA this morning about an outage affecting a key system for providing safety information to pilots. FAA is working to resolve this issue swiftly and safely so that air traffic can resume normal operations, and will continue to provide updates. — Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) January 11, 2023

Biden Calls for Full Investigation into FAA System Outage

President Joe Biden has called for a full investigation into the FAA system outage which has grounded thousands of flights across the country on Wednesday morning.

"The President has been briefed by the Secretary of Transportation this morning on the FAA system outage," wrote White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Twitter.

The President has been briefed by the Secretary of Transportation this morning on the FAA system outage. There is no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, but the President directed DOT to conduct a full investigation into the causes. The FAA will provide regular updates. — Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) January 11, 2023

"There is no evidence of a cyberattack at this point, but the President directed DOT to conduct a full investigation into the causes. The FAA will provide regular updates."

All U.S. Domestic Flights Paused Until 9 a.m. EST

All U.S. domestic flights have been grounded until at least 9 a.m. ET time on Tuesday as the FAA experiences a nationwide system failure .

The order to temporarily suspend flights across the country came directly from the FAA, which asked in a statement for time "to allow the agency to validate the integrity of flight and safety information." Several airlines are currently affected by the FAA system outage.

In its latest update on the unfolding situation, the FAA wrote that the system is "beginning to come back on line." The agency is "still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions system."

U.S. Airlines Provide Update on Ground Stop

U.S. airlines gave Newsweek an update on the FAA outage.

United Airlines told Newsweek that "United has temporarily delayed all domestic flights and will issue an update when we learn more from the FAA."

It confirmed that "the FAA system that sends out important real-time flight hazards & restrictions to all commercial airline pilots - Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) - is currently suffering a nationwide outage."

American Airlines told Newsweek : "The Federal Aviation Administration is experiencing an outage with its NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system, which provides critical flight safety operational information. We are closely monitoring the situation, which impacts all airlines, and working with the FAA to minimize disruption to our operation and customers. We encourage customers to check aa.com for the latest flight information."

Newsweek has also contacted Southwest Airlines for comment.

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Rishi Sunak says he cannot fully insulate people from cost of living crisis – as it happened

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as Rishi Sunak faces Treasury Committee on cost of living support

• Thousands of Britons stuck at airports as tube strike begins
• Flights backlog could take days to clear
• Underground strike causing disruption
• UK travel chaos: tips on what to do, from flight cancellations to passports
• 6 Jun 2022 Summary
• 6 Jun 2022 Rushanara Ali: Sunak shouldn't have been dragged into Operation Save Big Dog
• 6 Jun 2022 Sunak: Can't fully insulate people from rising cost of living
• 6 Jun 2022 Sunak challenged over giving two £400 payments to second-home owners
• 6 Jun 2022 Sunak: Not seeing signs of business distress
• 6 Jun 2022 Sunak: Package will have a minimal impact on inflation
• 6 Jun 2022 Sunak to face MPs over cost of living package
• 6 Jun 2022 Motorists face 'shock and awe' as fuel prices jump
• 6 Jun 2022 Second weakest May car sales in 30 years
• 6 Jun 2022 More air travel chaos looms this summer
• 6 Jun 2022 London underground disruption: latest status
• 6 Jun 2022 Full story: Travellers in London told to avoid tube as strike begins
• 6 Jun 2022 Introduction: Thousands of Britons stuck at airports as tube strikes add to travel disruption

More flights have been cancelled today, as the aviation industry struggles to cope with the rise in demand for travel amid a severe staffing shortage.

PA Media has the details:

After cancelling dozens of flights over the weekend, easyJet scrapped a further 26 due to arrive at or depart from Gatwick on Monday. These included from destinations such as Bilbao, Madrid and Seville in Spain, Milan and Palermo in Italy, Geneva and Zurich in Switzerland, and Malta. British Airways axed more than 100 short-haul flights at Heathrow on Monday, although the airline stressed that passengers affected were given advance notice. Tui Airways is cancelling six daily flights at Manchester.

More air travel chaos looms this summer

The half-term travel disruption will have made passengers nervous about planning summer holidays.

And unfortunately, air traffic control delays in Europe are expected to bring further travel chaos to UK airports in the months ahead.

Europe’s air traffic agency has warned that the number of flights will exceed the capacity of control centres to handle them across large parts of the continent this summer, and urged some countries to review their operations to avoid sudden disruption.

Reims in eastern France, Munich and Athens face particularly acute problems, but Eurocontrol is worried that much of Europe, including the UK, was operating close to capacity. The FT has more details .

#TubeStrike latest: - Circle, Victoria, Waterloo & City Lines suspended - Northern Line reduced service btwn Edgware and Golders Green/ Archway and High Barnet / Finchley Central and Mill Hill East / Kennington and Morden - No Bakerloo Line btwn Queens Park and Elephant & Castle — BBC Radio London Travel (@BBCTravelAlert) June 6, 2022

Great Northern, which runs rail services in the south east England including Thameslink, has warned passengers to expect delays due to the tube strike.

Great Northern services to and from Moorgate are being disrupted by industrial action on the Tube network. Old Street station is expected to remain closed for the rest of the day. Highbury & Islington is not currently being served by Great Northern. You will need to make your way to an alternative station in the area. Please be aware that Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern trains and stations in the London area will be extremely busy. Other National Rail operators are likely to be affected as well. Please leave at least 20 minutes of additional time for your journey.

🔀 You will need to make your way to an alternative station in the area. 📢 Please be aware that other trains and stations in London are likely to be extremely busy. — Great Northern (@GNRailUK) June 6, 2022

📢 Great Northern services are likely to be extremely busy today. Other National Rail operators may also be affected. ⏱ Please allow plenty of extra time to complete your journey today. — Great Northern (@GNRailUK) June 6, 2022

👍 Trains can now run on the route to/from Moorgate. ⛔️ However, they still cannot stop at: • Highbury & Islington • Old Street 📱 Journey planners are being updated in real time, so please check ahead at https://t.co/IkKEN3Snsc — Great Northern (@GNRailUK) June 6, 2022

London underground disruption: latest status

The Circle , Victoria and Waterloo & City underground lines are all currently closed due to the tube strike strike.

Many other lines are disrupted, with services not running into central London, as this map shows:

TFL’s status updates website shows that (at 8.40am):

• Bakerloo Line: Service operating between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, approximately every 10 minutes.
• Central Line: Service operating between White City and West Ruislip / Ealing Broadway, approx. every 20 minutes and between Liverpool Street and Epping / Hainault via Newbury Park, approx. every 15 minutes. No service on the rest of the line due to strike action by RMT.
• District Line: Service operating between Whitechapel and Upminster, approx every 10 mins, between Edgware Road and Wimbledon, approx every 10 mins and between High St Kensington and Ealing Broadway / Richmond, approx every 15 min.
• Hammersmith and City Line : Service operating between Hammersmith and Whitechapel, approximately every 10 minutes.
• Jubilee Line: Service operating between Finchley Road and Stanmore, approximately every 5 minutes and between Stratford and Canning Town, approximately every 10 minutes with some stations closed.
• Northern Line: Service operating between Edgware and Golders Green, between Archway and High Barnet and between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East, approximately every 6 - 8 minutes with some stations closed. Service operating between Morden and Kennington, approximately every 7 minutes with some stations closed.
• P iccadilly Line: Service operating between Earl’s Court and Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 and between Acton Town and Raynes Lane, approx. every 20 minutes with some stations closed.

#TubeStrike - Hammersmith and City Line running between Hammersmith and Whitechapel about every 10 mins - Metropolitan Line operating a good service — BBC Radio London Travel (@BBCTravelAlert) June 6, 2022

There’s a long queues for buses this morning at Victoria Station as the tube strike disrupts journeys, reports the BBC’s Sarah Morris :

Long queues for buses this morning at Victoria Station. TFL says avoid using the tube #TubeStrike pic.twitter.com/p0Y4hSRKty — Sarah Morris (@SarahFMorris) June 6, 2022

Frustrated commuters have gathered around the entrance to Waterloo underground station after the Tube was shut by today’s strike, PA Media reports.

One commuter, Charlotte from Surbiton, said she was unsure if she would be able to complete her journey to Canary Wharf.

“We’ll see if anything opens up, and I’ll go home if it doesn’t” “I’m pretty sure everyone will be delayed coming in today.”

She said she had been traveling for almost an hour already, adding that she didn’t feel like the strike was justified.

“I don’t necessarily see the reason for the strike”. “It doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s justified to cause this much disruption, especially when London is getting up and running again. It seems like a big setback for the city.”

Full story: Travellers in London told to avoid tube as strike begins

London’s transport operator warned people to expect “severe disruption” on the tube today as 4,000 station staff are due to walk out in a 24-hour strike that will shut down much of the network.

Transport for London said there would be problems across all lines from the start of service on Monday to 8am on Tuesday, with a limited number of stations open. It advised against travel on the tube throughout that period “unless necessary”.

The RMT union has called the strike in protest against TfL plans to cut 600 jobs to reduce costs. Only London Underground station staff will be involved, rather than the 10,000 RMT members who walked out in March .

Sources close to the union said the scale of the walkouts meant the entire tube network should close on safety grounds. TfL said:

“Safety is our top priority and we will be doing all we can to safely keep as many services running for our customers as possible.”

Some tube stations had already shut temporarily over the platinum jubilee holiday weekend because of staff not working overtime as part of separate industrial action by RMT that started on Friday and is due to continue until 10 July.

Introduction: Thousands of Britons stuck at airports as tube strikes add to travel disruption

Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the world economy and the financial markets.

The UK’s travel chaos continues today. Flight cancellations and a tube strike in London means that half-term holidaymakers and people returning to work after the jubilee weekend face face more disruption.

Tens of thousands of British travellers are estimated to be stuck at airports across Europe after up to 200 flight cancellations over the weekend, following a week of misery for families.

The disruption means some children, and teachers, will be unable to return to school in time for today’s classes -- in the middle of the exam season.

EasyJet cancelled another 80 flights on Sunday, mainly affecting Gatwick airport, after 25 departures and 22 arrivals were cancelled on Saturday. The airline says:

“We are very sorry and fully understand the disruption this will have caused for our customers. We are focused on getting them to their destination as soon as possible.”

Eurostar passengers faced travel misery on Sunday too, as a power supply failure at Paris Gare du Nord meant all services to/from Paris are subject to major delays and cancelations.

A strike on the London underground is expected to cause travel chaos in the capital too, as many workers return to the office after the long Bank Holiday break.

Transport for London say they will keep as many stations as possible open, but expect the strike to cause severe disruption and the closure of many Tube stations.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are taking industrial action in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

Raining, Tube Strike, Not a Bank Holiday 😭 pic.twitter.com/6hjNMVMn21 — Adrian Gibson (@adrianpgibson) June 6, 2022

The government has criticised the travel sector’s failure to handle the surge in demand as pandemic restrictions have been relaxed, with airlines struggling to take on more employees fast enough.

The aviation industry says recruitment is being held up by security checks, but transport secretary Grant Shapps argues that staff cuts during the pandemic had gone too deep.

He told the BBC:

“The industry itself needs to solve it. The government doesn’t run airports, it doesn’t run the airlines. The industry needs to do that.” “We’ll work with the industry very hard ... to make sure we don’t see a repeat of those scenes.”

London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan , said Brexit had caused the chaos. He called on the government to relax immigration rules to allow airport and airline workers who returned to their EU countries of origin following Brexit to come back to the UK.

Also coming up today

The UK parliament’s Treasury Committee will hold a hearing with chancellor Rishi Sunak, to discuss the £15bn cost of living package announced last month.

The Committee will ask Sunak whether the measures could cause higher inflation, whether support was sufficiently targeted to lower income households, and what impact the Energy Profits Levy will have on investment in the UK.

They’ll also ask what further measures may be required later in the year, given the calls for an emergency budget to help households.

European stock markets are expected to open higher.

European Opening Calls: #FTSE 7576 +0.57% #DAX 14496 +0.25% #CAC 6493 +0.12% #AEX 702 +0.24% #MIB 24221 +0.23% #IBEX 8739 +0.16% #OMX 2073 -0.13% #SMI 11545 -0.04% #STOXX 3791 +0.20% #IGOpeningCall — IGSquawk (@IGSquawk) June 6, 2022

• 9am BST: UK new car sales for May
• 1.45pm BST: Rishi Sunak appears before Treasury Committee on cost of living support
• Business live
• Stock markets

Most viewed

Why is the travel chaos affecting Europe so much more than the rest of the world?

Beautiful food, stunning landscapes - and travel chaos? Europe is becoming a byword for air-travel disruption. Here’s why.

Going on holiday this summer? Brace for a delay or a cancellation - especially if you’re travelling somewhere in Europe.

Winding queues and piles of abandoned luggage are becoming an increasingly common sight in airports across the continent.

Airlines have cancelled tens of thousands of flights since May, leaving passengers stranded, while airports have struggled with industrial action and technical glitches.

Travel is risky everywhere. Yet some destinations are markedly more chaotic than others. But why?

Is Europe the worst for travel chaos?

Travellers are facing chaos across the globe. Since May, U.S. airlines have cancelled more than 21,000 flights, or about 2.7 per cent of the scheduled total.

The July 4 weekend - an American holiday - has seen hundreds of flights cancelled and more than 12,000 delayed.

However, the number of cancellations still pales in comparison to the European total.

Europe had more than double the cancellations of US carriers between April and June, data from flight tracking company RadarBox.com reveals.

Between 1 April and 29 June, Europe’s top 10 worst performing airports cancelled a mammoth 64,100 flights.

The reason is partly to do with staffing. US airlines also slashed staff during the pandemic, making 90,000 workers redundant. However, most American carriers - including big hitters American, Delta, United, and SouthWest - started recruitment in the middle of 2021, in line with the return of domestic travel.

Another key point is that due to less vigorous and varying COVID restrictions between states, US flight numbers didn’t drop as significantly as those in major European countries.

Plus American air traffic rebounded more quickly than European travel, largely due to the huge domestic network. In 2021, domestic air travel reached more than 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

These recruitment drives are ongoing. Currently, Delta and United Airlines are hiring an average of 200 pilots per month.

Disruption in the US is still significant. Last week, United Airlines said it would cut 50 daily flights from its Newark hub. Delta Air Lines announced it would cut 100 daily flights between 1 July and 7 August.

However, it’s not been as sustained or as acute as in Europe, where queues and cancellations are quickly becoming air travel norms.

• Airport chaos: Experts reveal top tips on avoiding delays, disruption and queues this summer
• How to keep your luggage safe as European airports lose hundreds of bags

Understaffing and strikes in Europe’s airports

European airports are struggling to cope with an extreme staffing deficit.

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, airports and airlines made roughly 191,000 European aviation workers redundant.

According to a study published in January 2021 by the European Transport Workers Federation 58.5 per cent of airport ground staff were at out work at the time. At least 23 per cent of them were made redundant.

Now, as travel resurges for the first time since 2019, there are not enough staff to man baggage checkpoints, security, and flight crews.

Recruitment drives have been held back by lengthy security checks and unattractive working conditions.

Meanwhile, remaining workers have launched a series of strikes over poor working conditions and pandemic era-pay cuts. BA , Ryanair, easyJet , Schiphol airport, and Lufthansa are among the airlines facing industrial action.

Spanish Ryanair air crew last week announced 12 days of strikes in July, while easyJet staff will walk off the job for nine days.

Firefighters at Paris’ Charles De Gaulle airport walked out last week, while Italian pilot unions have threatened increased action.

“This will be only the first of a series of protest actions that will make the summer hot,” a spokesperson for the UIL Trasporti union warned.

• 'Hired in 24 hours': Top hotels in Europe snap up unqualified staff to plug gap left by shortages
• Flight delayed or cancelled due to UK air traffic control issue? Your compensation rights explained

Europe leads the rebound in travel - but airlines are struggling

These staffing shortages and industrial disputes have coincided with a rebound in international travel.

According to the UNTWO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) World Tourism Barometer, international tourism arrivals will reach roughly 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Europe has led this recovery. In the first three months of 2022, Europe received almost four times as many international arrivals (an increase of 280 per cent) in the same period in 2021. In the Americas, arrivals more than doubled (an increase of 117 per cent) over the same period.

This boom is partly due to the swift relaxation of COVID rules, led by European countries. At the start of the summer season, 31 European destinations had no COVID entry rules in place.

Destinations are eager to welcome visitors. However, supply simply cannot meet demand.

Airports like Heathrow and Schiphol have begged airlines to cut flights, while many carriers have been forced to pre-emptively cull their schedules by thousands of trips.

“Making these cancellations is not something we take lightly,” former easyJet chief operating officer Peter Bellew told staff after cutting dozens of flights.

Understandably, travellers were not so circumspect.

“Don’t you love it when easyJet ruin your holiday,” one twitter user posted after a flight cancellation.

The budget carrier is not alone. BA cut 8000 flights from their October-March schedule, while Lufthansa reduced their summer schedule by 3100 flights.

“Too many employees and resources are still unavailable, not only at our infrastructure partners but in some of our own areas, too,” the German airline wrote in a letter to customers.

• Lisbon airport plagued by delays and cancellations as Europe’s travel chaos continues
• Nearly half of travel insurance policies don’t cover strikes, say experts

How long will travel chaos last?

Unfortunately, the end may not be in sight.

Chaos will likely continue to the end of the summer, as passenger numbers increase above and beyond staffing capabilities. Recruitment drives are ongoing, but it takes time to train staff in roles like security and baggage.

Air Council International - Europe's trade body for airports - have predicted that delays are inevitable at two-thirds of European airports this summer.

In the meantime, follow these tips to make sure your journey is as smooth as possible.

Alternatively, ditch flying all together and embrace train travel this summer.

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Cancelled flights: Air traffic disruption caused by flight data issue

• Published 29 August 2023
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Watch: The day UK air traffic control went down... in 71 seconds

Widespread flight disruption that left thousands of passengers stranded was caused by incoming flight data, air traffic control bosses say.

National Air Traffic Services said a flight plan that its systems could not process was behind Monday's technical problem.

The fault saw passengers stranded abroad and in the UK, having to find alternative routes home.

Passengers have been warned to expect continued knock-on disruption.

One passenger told BBC News she and her young children slept on the floor of an airport after their flight was axed.

Nats confirmed there were no signs the failure was caused by a cyber-attack. The incident will be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe said: "Initial investigations into the problem show it relates to some of the flight data we received.

"Our systems, both primary and the back-ups, responded by suspending automatic processing to ensure that no incorrect safety-related information could be presented to an air traffic controller or impact the rest of the air traffic system."

He later described the issue as "incredibly rare", saying he was confident the situation would not arise again.

"We understand the way the system didn't handle the data… the way it failed, if you like.

"So we have put in place, already, procedures to make sure if that happens again, we can resolve it very, very quickly."

Asked about reports that a flight plan submitted by a French airline could be behind the problem, Mr Rolfe said he "wouldn't want to speculate at this point".

He said Nats was working with the CCA to provide a preliminary report to the transport secretary on Monday - and that the report's conclusion would be made public.

The Department of Transport said it had approved night flying to all UK airports it regulates to alleviate the backlog in UK flights.

Children sleep on floor due to flights chaos

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

It follows a meeting of Nats, the CAA, airlines, airports, trade bodies and Border Force, chaired by Transport Secretary Mark Harper.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Harper warned again that the knock-on effects of Monday's disruption are likely to continue over the coming days, and said passengers due to travel should check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

The head of one industry body said the organisation has "crucial questions to answer" over the fault, which Nats remedied three hours after confirming the issue just before 12:00 on Monday.

Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association, called the failure "unacceptable" and said he felt for passengers who continue to suffer "huge inconvenience" and airline staff put under "considerable additional stress".

He added that airlines would "bear significant sums in care and assistance charges, on top of the costs of disruption to crew and aircraft schedules. But it will cost Nats nothing."

Passengers have recounted how they faced huge disruption because of the issue.

Sarah Skellern is one of thousands of passengers caught up in the aftermath , with many unable to return home to the UK or fly abroad for long-booked holidays.

Mrs Skellern, from near Preston, Lancashire, described "absolute chaos" at Palma de Mallorca Airport, after waiting on an aircraft for six hours before her Jet2 flight on Monday was cancelled.

After leaving the plane, Mrs Skellern said she and her husband Barry, and two boys Toby, 10, and Gabe, eight, were left to find their own accommodation. A lack of local hotels meant they had little choice for a bed but the Spanish airport floor. They eventually got a flight home on Tuesday.

Adam Ashall-Kelly and Christine Marriott fear they could miss their wedding in Italy, after their flight from Manchester to Verona was cancelled on Monday.

The bride and groom-to-be are frantically trying to find a way to get to a local court in Malcesine, near Lake Garda, before they can be legally wed on Saturday.

The couple, both from Manchester, have booked a new flight to Milan on Wednesday but have "no idea" whether it will go ahead or be cancelled.

Analysis of flight data websites showed at least 281 flights - including departures and arrivals - were cancelled on Tuesday at the UK's six busiest airports.

This consisted of 75 at Gatwick, 74 at Heathrow, 63 at Manchester, 28 at Stansted, 23 at Luton and 18 at Edinburgh.

Thousands of passengers hit

Airports and airlines were forced to apologise to travellers for the delays and cancellations, and in some cases have offered passengers full refunds.

Heathrow Airport - the world's busiest two-runway airport - said on Tuesday there may be some continuing disruption on some routes and advised all passengers to check their airline before travelling to the airport.

EasyJet had been disrupted on Tuesday but by the evening said it was now operating normally.

Michael O'Leary, boss of Ryanair, said it had had to cancel about 250 flights on Monday , affecting about 40,000 passengers. On Tuesday 70 flights were cancelled, he said, adding that the airline was hoping to run a "normal operation" on Wednesday with "minimal delays".

"It is sadly outside of our control," Mr O'Leary said. "We have been in contact with UK Nats, we still haven't had an explanation from them - what exactly caused this failure yesterday?"

BA has advised customers travelling on short-haul services to check their flight was still running before heading to the airport.

The airline added that customers due to travel on a short-haul service on Tuesday or Wednesday may be able to move their flights to a later date free of charge.

Tui said that on top of a refund its customers would be entitled to a "future holiday voucher of £100 per person".

The CAA says an airline has a duty of care to provide food, drink and accommodation if delays stretch overnight.

If a flight is cancelled, passengers should be offered a choice of a refund or alternative travel arrangements at the earlier opportunity.

Have you been affected by the delays? Get in touch by emailing [email protected] .

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Related Topics

• London Heathrow Airport
• Luton Airport
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Dubai airport travel chaos continues as new limit on arrivals is imposed

A s airline passengers endure a fourth day of travel chaos at the world’s biggest international air hub Dubai , Emirates has told travellers they cannot check in until 1am on Saturday British time (4am Dubai time).

The airline says: “Customers with connections in Dubai will only be accepted at their point of origin if their flight departs after 23:59hrs GMT, 19 April. This is to support operations recovery from the recent bad weather at our Dubai hub.

“Customers already in transit in Dubai, travelling to Dubai as their final destination, or departing from Dubai can continue to check in and travel.”

Severe flooding has caused more than 1,000 flight cancellations , with many other arrivals and departures hit by diversions and long delays.

Normally a quarter-million passengers pass through the airport every day, but the airport authority has imposed restrictions on the number of arrivals.

According to the tracking service Flightradar24, by 2pm British time on Thursday, 1,145 flights had been cancelled – representing one-third of the normal schedule.

At noon local time on Friday, Dubai Airports introduced a 48-hour capacity reduction for arrivals. A spokesperson said the move was intended “to assist the effectiveness of recovery”.

Earlier, the Dubai Airports spokesperson said: This is the heaviest rainfall the UAE received in 75 years and we’re doing all we can to get operations back to normal.”

A backlog of passengers’ baggage is building at the airport. The spokesperson said: “We have been providing necessary assistance and amenities to affected guests but due to road blockages, it’s taken longer than we would have liked.

“We know how frustrating cancellations, disruptions and delays are to travel plans and our teams are working around the clock to help our guests. Our passenger’s safety and wellbeing is our primary concern and we thank them for their patience.”

British travellers booked on Emirates have told The Independent of extended waits and long delays.

Gerry Byrne flew in from Tokyo to Dubai on Wednesday, expecting an immediate connection to London Heathrow . Instead, he and his wife are currently in a hotel with a four-day wait until they can be flown home. He reported chaotic scenes at Dubai airport, with limited food and drink, as well as a “dangerous stampede” by passengers.

Two flights that did get out from Dubai for London Heathrow on Thursday evening, Emirates flights EK3 and EK5, were unable to land on Friday morning due to being too late for scheduled hours. Instead, passengers arrived at Birmingham at 12.30am and at Gatwick at 3am.

Dozens more Emirates flights have been cancelled on Friday, including two departures to Cape Town and other links to Bali, Bangalore, Colombo, Dhaka, Mauritius, Mumbai and Singapore.

The inbound legs of these cancelled flights would normally be carrying substantial numbers of British passengers returning from trips abroad.

UK air passengers’ rights rules , requiring alternative transport as soon as possible and a duty of care to provide hotels and accommodation, do not apply to non-UK/EU airlines flying from points outside Europe.

The airline says: “Emirates extends our sincerest apologies to impacted customers who have experienced delays and disruption to their travel plans. We appreciate how difficult it is for everyone affected.”

British Airways has cancelled many of its London Heathrow-Dubai flights since the flooding began.

A spokesperson for BA said: “Like other airlines, we’ve had to adjust our schedule to Dubai due to ongoing restrictions at the airport caused by the adverse weather conditions.

“Our teams are in contact with affected customers providing support and rebooking options.”

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Emirates is dealing with a 30,000 bag backlog as it grovels to customers about its handling of Dubai floods

• Severe flooding caused by the heaviest rain in 75 years brought travel chaos to Dubai Airport last week.
• The ongoing fallout has prompted Emirates boss Tim Clark to issue an apology to customers. 
• 30,000 bags still need to be returned to customers, he said.

Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, is still trying to return 30,000 leftover bags to customers affected by the torrential rains and flooding that brought Dubai Airport to a standstill last week.

Over the weekend, the airline's president, Tim Clark, acknowledged that Emirates' response to the disruption had been "far from perfect" and apologized to customers.

"I would like to offer our most sincere apologies to every customer who has had their travel plans disrupted during this time," Clark wrote in an open letter posted online on Saturday.

Calling the previous week "one of the toughest for Emirates operationally," he said that the airline had been forced to cancel nearly 400 flights and delay many more after storms brought the region's highest rainfall in 75 years.

"Flooded roads impeded the ability of our customers, pilots, cabin crew, and airport employees to reach the airport, and also the movement of essential supplies like meals and other flight amenities," Clark wrote.

In total, 1,478 flights had been canceled at the world's second busiest airport by Friday morning, according to Reuters.

While planes remained stuck on flooded taxiways, submerged roads surrounding the airport left some passengers stranded in the airport.

Related stories

To accommodate disrupted passengers, Emirates said it had secured 12,000 hotel rooms and issued 250,000 meal vouchers.

Despite the chaos and a government warning telling people to stay at home, Emirates flight attendants in Dubai were also told to report for duty.

However, Clark acknowledged that many passengers had been frustrated by the congestion, lack of information, and confusion at terminals.

In an effort to handle the ongoing fallout, he said that a task force had been created to sort and return 30,000 pieces of left-over luggage to its owners.

The airline officially resumed regular flight operations at Dubai Airport on Saturday, but warned it would still take several days to clear the backlog.

Non-UAE-based carriers were still facing restrictions over the weekend. Foreign airlines with more than two flights in 24 hours were issued with a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) instructing them to reduce operations by 50%, Indian news agency PTI reported.

According to FlightRadar 24's data , all arrivals and departures were largely running to schedule again on Monday morning.

The oil-rich United Arab Emirates has become one of the most attractive economic hubs in the Gulf region.

Its efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, centered on Dubai as a tourism hot spot, have helped the country position itself as a major player on the world stage. In a sign of its growing popularity, the number of passengers traveling to Dubai Airport increased by 31.7% in the last year.

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Heathrow Airport bank holiday flights under threat as refuellers announce strike, warns union

A similar 72-hour walk-out was called by the unite union involving the same group of workers in july 2022, article bookmarked.

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Fifty aircraft refuellers working at Heathrow airport will strike for 72 hours from 4 May , meaning potential chaos on one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

The action, part of a dispute over terms and conditions for new staff, has been timed to hit travellers over the early May bank holiday .

Those taking part are members of the Unite union working for AFS Aviation. The union says they refuel aircraft for 35 airlines at Heathrow, including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Air France, and warns the strikes “are likely to lead to severe disruption to airline services for passengers”.

AFS Aviation also services the three biggest US airlines – American, Delta and United – as well as Air Canada and Singapore Airlines.

The dispute is over reduced pension and sickness benefits for new staff recruited since the start of the year, leading to what the union calls a “two-tier workforce.”

The Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “AFS is behaving appallingly by attacking the T&Cs of new members of staff – those it views as the easiest to intimidate.

“But Unite will not stand for such bully-boy tactics and we will be backing our members in their fight for improved pensions and sick pay for all staff.”

Unite regional officer Kevin Hall added: “Our members recognise that if they allow this attack on their conditions to take place, before long this will become the norm. Unite won’t allow that to happen and is standing firm with our members on the picket line.

“AFS will have to answer directly to the airlines and passengers for the disruption caused by their unmerited actions.”

Sources at Heathrow say contingency planning is taking place. British Airways, which operates more than half the flights from Heathrow, has its own fuelling service and is unaffected.

The Independent has asked Virgin Atlantic and Emirates for comment.

A similar 72-hour strike was called by the Unite union involving the same group of workers in July 2022, over a peak summer weekend. But the dispute was settled before the action started after an improved pay offer was made.

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FAA lifts ground stop of Alaska Airlines flights after system issues resolved

The Federal Aviation Administration lifted a ground stop that applied to all Alaska Airlines and subcarrier flights after about an hour Wednesday. The order was first instituted because of a software issue at the airline.

"This morning we experienced an issue while performing an upgrade to the system that calculates our weight and balance. Out of an abundance of caution, we requested a ground stop for all Alaska and Horizon flights, which was instituted at approximately 7:30 a.m. PT," Alaska said in a statement to USA TODAY. "The issue was mitigated and the ground stop for Alaska and Horizon flights expired at 8:30 a.m. PT. We have begun releasing flights. Residual delays are expected throughout the day. We apologize for the inconvenience and encourage guests to check the status of their flights on alaskaair.com or the Alaska App prior to heading to the airport."

The ground stop did not apply to Alaska flights operated by regional carrier SkyWest.

Although Alaska said it anticipates some delays throughout its system Wednesday as a result of the ground stop, as of 11:50 a.m. ET, the airline was not reporting any cancellations, according to FlightAware .

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Christmas travel latest: 'Wet and windy' weather poses further disruption; Rishi Sunak spotted shopping at London station

Millions are hitting the road for their Christmas getaways, with drivers urged to set off at specific times to avoid the worst of the traffic. Elsewhere, planes and trains have been cancelled, with yellow weather warnings in place in England, Wales and Scotland after Storm Pia.

Friday 22 December 2023 22:21, UK

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• Drivers urged to travel at specific times - as pinch points predicted
• 'Wet and windy weather could cause more disruptions
• Heathrow flights cancelled on 'busiest winter day since COVID'
• Sunak spotted buying mince pies 'for key workers' at King's Cross
• 'Total gridlock' around Stonehenge
• Area most likely to get white Christmas
• Watch: Plane battles 50mph crosswinds in landing
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell and (earlier)  Katie Williams

We're bringing our live coverage of travel disruptions to a close.

Before you go, here is a recap of today's developments:

• Passengers are subject to 90-minute waits at the Port of Dover after a full day of delays;
• 'Wet and windy' weather in the lead up to Christmas could cause further travel delays on road, rail, air and ferry services;
• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was spotted buying mince pies 'for key workers' from an M&S store in Kings Cross station in London;
• An estimated 13.5 million journeys by car are expected to take place across the UK between today and Christmas Eve on Sunday, the RAC says;
• Drivers were urged to travel before 11am or after 6pm where possible to reduce the chance of getting stuck in tailbacks.

As we reported earlier (see our post at 6.27pm) the forecast over the Christmas period is expected to be wet and windy across the UK.

With weather warnings in place until the early hours of Christmas Day, RAC Breakdown has warned of what this could mean for travellers hoping to get away for a festive break.

"With this latest weather warning affecting a large area of Scotland and parts of northern England, there is the chance travellers’ last-minute getaway trips could be disrupted," Rod Dennis, RAC spokesperson said.

"If trains are significantly delayed people are more likely to shift to the roads which could add to already exceptionally high traffic volumes. "

An estimated 13.5 million journeys by car will take place across the UK between today and Christmas Eve on Sunday, up 20%, the RAC said.

That is a 20% increase on the three days before Christmas Day last year.

"For this reason, we urge drivers to be on their guard for debris in the road, including branches and possibly even trees, especially along more rural routes," Mr Dennis continued.

"Gusty conditions can also make driving more difficult, so it's advisable drivers reduce their speed and stay focused on the road ahead."

P&O Ferries have warned passengers at the Port of Dover of an approximate 90-minute wait, as delays to get onto a service continue.

It warned of "limited toilet facilities" and recommended passengers bring refreshments to make their wait more comfortable.

The company has been updating customers regularly throughout the day who have faced hours of delays to travel to Calais in France. 

Apologising for the delay, the company added that it is working hard with authorities to "improve the situation and would like to assure you that you will be accommodated on the next available departure once at check in".

Passengers travelling through Euston station faced delays today after Storm Pia caused travel chaos yesterday.

Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at the station and not allowed on to the platforms.

Network Rail said it expected delays throughout the day as services recovered and many passengers headed to the station after an overnight stay in hotels.

Joe Burns, 22, and Jimmy Dingwall, 25, were travelling to Liverpool for Christmas on the 10.43am train.

They said they saw the news on Thursday and thought they were not going to be able to travel, but their train was on time this morning.

"I don’t think I’ve ever had a train journey which has gone smoothly," Mr Burns, a student, said.

Below are pictures taken at Euston station earlier today...

The A66 is closed in both directions in Cumbria due to a serious collision, National Highways say.

The closure is in effect between the A595 south at Bridgefoot and A595 north at Cockermouth.

National Highways adds that approaching traffic is being diverted via local routes.

Disruption is expected until 8.30pm between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street after a passenger was taken ill on a train.

National Rail warned passengers that trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 20 minutes. 

The passenger was taken ill at Airdrie - a town in North Lanarkshire just outside of Glasgow.

Services that run between Airdire and Balloch will now start and finish at Coatdyke, National Rail said.

Earlier (see our post at 2.34pm) we reported that the M4 was closed westbound in Berkshire after a crash between junction 10 and junction 11, near Reading.

National Highways said all lanes on the road reopened just before 4pm. 

It warned of a mile of congestion leading up to the area, but there have been no updates since to suggest there are any further delays. 

A woman who has been stuck trying to board the Eurotunnel from France to the UK for more than two hours has reached out to Sky News. 

Jasmine said she joined queues at the border in Calais at 2.40pm local time (1.40pm UK time) and was still stuck at border control at 4.52pm local time (3.52pm UK time).

She said the next train expected for departure to Folkestone was 6.39pm local time (5.39pm UK time).

Below are two videos Jasmine took documenting her delay.

The first was taken when she first joined queues:

And the second when she was just a few cars away from crossing border control:

For those set to travel over the Christmas period, it is important to consider the weather conditions. 

The Met Office has said it will be a "wet and windy" run-up to the 25 December, with a number of yellow weather warnings in place. 

Rain warnings are scheduled to come into force on Saturday and Christmas Eve across the west of Scotland, northwest England and Wales. 

Warnings for wind have been issued for Sunday and into the early hours of Christmas Day, mainly in the north of Scotland and the northeast of England.

Gusts are expected to reach 60mph in the area near the Pennines, which the Met Office waned could disrupt transport networks.

The warning in the northeast of England comes into force on 8am Christmas Eve and lasts until 10pm . While in the north of Scotland the warnings are in place from 12pm on the 24th until 3am on the 25th .

"It'll be a damp start to Christmas Day for many, though the best of any drier weather is likely in the afternoon as weather fronts gradually move to the south and east," Steven Keates, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said.

"However, the far southeast may hold on to the persistent rain the longest through the day."

Below is the Met Office's extended forecast for the entire festive period...

In lighter news, one passenger, who left Nottingham at 9.30am this morning to get to Heathrow Airport, has been in touch with Sky News to say there was "no traffic at all".

Lee Johns said he arrived at the airport in west London at 4pm ahead of his 9pm flight to the Philippines. 

Having left extra time in case of bad traffic, Mr Johns said the journey from Long Eaton took less than two hours.

Snapping a picture of the terminal, the airport looked empty, with relatively few queues at check-in desks.

Meanwhile, at London's Gatwick Airport, the departure lounge is extremely busy. 

Pictures sent by Sky News producer John McGivern show crowds of passengers as they await their flights.

He said the terminal was "very busy" but there were plenty of staff manning security to make sure passengers won't be waiting too long to get through.

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