Storm Eunice with its powerful winds, has caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights across the UK. The latest to cancel flights is London City Airport, which has cancelled all flights to and from the airport until 16.30 this afternoon.
Other affected Airports
Many flights have also been cancelled to and from Heathrow, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham Airport, to name a few. British Airways decided to cancel 80 flights to and from London City and London Heathrow airport. Passengers travelling have also been advised to check their flight status and leave extra time for their commute to the airport. With the strong winds also causing public transport cancellations and trees and debris obstructing roads, many people may not even reach the airport even if their flight isn’t cancelled.
British Airways flight BA296 departed from Chicago and was due to land in London Heathrow but was diverted and landed in Zurich instead due to the weather implications from Storm Eunice.
Red Weather Warning
Storm Eunice has been reaching wind speeds of 122 MPH, which is the highest it’s ever been recorded in the UK. The Met Office has issued a Red Weather Warning and has advised people to stay home. Chief Meteorologist of The Met Office, Paul Gundersen has stated:
“After the impacts from Storm Dudley for many on Wednesday, Storm Eunice will bring damaging gusts in what could be one of the most impactful storms to affect southern and central parts of the UK for a few years.”
Gundersen added:
“The red warning areas indicate a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris.”
Due to the storm, some pilots have been deciding to execute Go Arounds to be able to land safely.
What is a Go Around?
A Go Around is when the pilot or air traffic control don’t deem it safe enough for the plane to land, so the pilot performs a ‘Go Around,’ i.e., flies around nearby until conditions have improved.
The safe landing of an aircraft is critical and requires a lot of accuracy, so when strong winds affect the stabilisation of the plane, it is important not to compromise safety and to perform a Go Around until conditions have improved and a safe landing can be executed.
Whilst it looks alarming, Go Arounds are always performed due to safety. So, if you are on a flight or see an aircraft performing a Go Around, even if it may be just a couple of feet off of the ground, it is for the best. It’s always most appropriate and desirable to Go Around if needed rather than a problematic or failed landing.
Did you have a flight scheduled that has been affected by Storm Eunice? Let us know in the comments below.
