Thunderstorms Cause Major Heathrow and Gatwick Flight Delays, Leaving Hundreds of Travellers Stranded

Key Points

• Hundreds of flights have been delayed and dozens cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick airports due to thunderstorms.
• Nearly 800 flights were delayed across both London airports by Saturday afternoon.
• FlightAware data shows at least 377 delayed flights at Heathrow and 399 at Gatwick.
• NATS, the UK’s air traffic control service, said disruption was expected to continue throughout the day.
• Passengers reported being stranded for hours with little information, no air conditioning, and limited refreshments.
• Heathrow and Gatwick are the only two UK airports currently facing “heavy” delays, according to Eurocontrol.
• Thunderstorms swept across the UK overnight, with lightning strikes reported across London and suspected of sparking a house fire.
• The storm system has since moved across the Channel into northwestern Europe.
• Eurocontrol confirmed flights routed outside the storm-affected corridor between south-east England and northwestern Europe are operating as scheduled.
• Forecasters have warned further thunderstorms are possible across the UK over the coming weekend.

West London (Britain Today News) June 27, 2026 – Hundreds of flights at Heathrow and Gatwick airports have been delayed and dozens more cancelled after thunderstorms swept across the UK, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at terminals and on grounded aircraft. Nearly 800 flights were delayed at the capital’s two busiest airports by Saturday afternoon, with travellers describing hours-long waits, cancelled connections, and a lack of basic facilities such as air conditioning and refreshments.

According to flight-tracking service FlightAware, at least 377 flights arriving at or departing from Heathrow had been delayed by Saturday, alongside 399 flights at Gatwick. NATS, the UK’s air traffic control service, confirmed that the disruption was expected to persist for the remainder of the day, citing forecasted severe weather across the south-east of England.

What Caused The Flight Delays At Heathrow And Gatwick?

The disruption stems from a band of thunderstorms that swept across the UK overnight and into the early hours of Saturday morning. Lightning strikes were recorded across London during the storms and are suspected of having started a house fire. The volatile weather conditions forced air traffic controllers to impose temporary restrictions, slowing the flow of arrivals and departures across both airports.

The storm system has since moved on from the UK, sweeping across the Channel into northwestern Europe, where it continues to cause disruption to air traffic in the region.

How Many Flights Have Been Delayed Or Cancelled So Far?

By Saturday afternoon, nearly 800 flights had been delayed across Heathrow and Gatwick combined, according to tracking data. Of these, FlightAware recorded at least 377 delayed flights connected to Heathrow and 399 linked to Gatwick. A number of additional flights at both airports were cancelled outright as a direct result of the stormy conditions, compounding disruption for travellers already affected by delays.

Are Heathrow And Gatwick The Only UK Airports Affected?

Heathrow and Gatwick are understood to be the only two UK airports currently experiencing “heavy” delays as a result of the inclement weather, according to Europe-wide aviation agency Eurocontrol. The agency said the most severe air traffic control delays were concentrated in the airspace between south-east England and northwestern Europe. Eurocontrol added that flights operating on routes outside this storm-affected corridor continue to run as scheduled, suggesting the disruption has so far remained largely confined to the south-east of England and the immediate cross-Channel flight paths.

What Have Passengers Said About The Disruption?

Frustration has mounted among travellers caught up in the delays, with many turning to social media to vent and seek guidance.

One passenger criticised British Airways’ handling of the disruption at Heathrow Terminal 5, writing on X:

“Terminal 5 customer service service must have 150 people waiting after delayed flights and missed connections!! 3 staff trying to sort this out, its sweltering and no air con or water to be had… Shocking to be honest!”

Another traveller, affected by a cancelled flight from Gatwick to Rhodes, described being held on the aircraft for an extended period without clear information, saying:

“Five hours held on a plane with one refreshment offered. No clear answers, is it cancelled, do I have a flight on Monday? I need answers as the treatment has been DISGUSTING.”

How Has The Disruption Affected Passengers Stranded Abroad?

The knock-on effects of the UK storms have reached well beyond British airspace. Adam Joseph, 29, told TIMG he had been stranded at Venice Marco Polo Airport in Italy without air conditioning after his flight to Gatwick was delayed by more than four hours. Joseph said he had been due to depart Venice at 12.30pm local time, but the aircraft assigned to operate his return leg had not yet left London, leaving him and fellow passengers waiting with no firm indication of when they would board.

What Are Passengers Saying On Social Media About Easyjet And British Airways?

Social media has become a focal point for stranded passengers seeking answers from airlines directly. One person appealed to easyJet on X over their daughter’s situation at Gatwick, writing:

“My daughter has been sat on a plane at Gatwick for 4 hours and now you’ve cancelled the flight. She’s on an easyJet holiday. What should she do?”

Another easyJet passenger described a prolonged wait on the tarmac, posting:

“We’ve been on board EZ8811 at Gatwick for 4.5 hours. The captain has announced the aircraft is ready to depart but we’re waiting for a tug crew to push back. We’re desperate to get to Montenegro for our holiday. Can someone from operations please assist?”

What Has NATS Said About The Air Traffic Disruption?

NATS, the organisation responsible for managing the UK’s air traffic control, confirmed that weather disruption was expected to continue through the rest of Saturday. A NATS spokesperson said:

“Weather disruption was expected to continue through the rest of the day”

following

“forecasted severe weather across the south east of England.”

The statement underlines that the restrictions in place are a direct response to the ongoing risk posed by further storm activity rather than a one-off response to overnight conditions alone.
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What Have Gatwick And Heathrow Airports Said In Response?

Both airports have issued statements acknowledging the scale of the disruption and pointing to the thunderstorms as the root cause.

A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said:

“Due to ongoing thunderstorms across the network last night, temporary air traffic restrictions were put in place, which resulted in some flights being delayed and cancelled this morning.”

A representative for Heathrow Airport added:

“Adverse weather conditions and thunderstorms across the UK and Europe has led to temporary air traffic restrictions, which means some flights at Heathrow were impacted this morning.”

Both statements point to overnight and early-morning thunderstorms as the trigger for the restrictions, rather than any operational or technical failure at either airport.

Is More Thunderstorm Disruption Expected This Weekend?

Forecasters have warned that further thunderstorms remain possible across the UK over the remainder of the weekend, raising the prospect that disruption at Heathrow and Gatwick — and potentially other airports — could continue beyond Saturday. With NATS already flagging the likelihood of continued restrictions through the day, passengers travelling through the affected airports in the coming days have been advised to check their flight status directly with airlines before travelling.

What Should Affected Passengers Do Next?

For passengers currently delayed or whose flights have been cancelled, the immediate priority is direct contact with their airline, both for updated departure information and for guidance on rebooking options where flights have been axed entirely. As seen in the cases of both the British Airways and easyJet passengers affected, response times from ground staff have been strained by the sheer volume of disrupted journeys, with passengers describing limited staff availability relative to the scale of those queuing for assistance.

Passengers held on grounded aircraft, such as those aboard the delayed Gatwick to Montenegro service, have also raised concerns about welfare standards during extended tarmac waits, including access to refreshments and timely operational updates from cabin crew.

What Has Been The Wider Impact Of The Storms Across Europe?

Beyond the UK, the same storm system that caused Saturday’s disruption has continued its path across the Channel into northwestern Europe, where it is contributing to further air traffic complications. Eurocontrol’s assessment that the heaviest delays remain concentrated in the corridor between south-east England and northwestern Europe suggests airlines and airports across this wider region may continue to experience knock-on effects as the weather system moves through.

For passengers like Adam Joseph, stranded in Venice awaiting an aircraft that had not yet departed London, this cross-border dimension of the disruption illustrates how a single overnight storm system in one part of Europe can ripple outward to affect return journeys and onward connections hundreds of miles away.