BA passengers stuck on plane for seven hours after fog forces Kent airport diversion

British Airways passengers on a flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Heathrow had to endure seven extra hours on the plane after fog caused disruption to flights.

The flight, which usually only takes one and a half hours, was meant to take off from Copenhagen at 10.15am on Wednesday, landing at Heathrow at 11.45am.

But passengers sat on the tarmac for three hours before taking off due to severe weather conditions.

After the flight eventually took off at 1.24pm local time and made its way to the UK, there were more problems at Heathrow.

After circling the airport for 40 minutes, passengers were told their landing slot was not for another three hours' time, but there was not enough fuel to keep circling.

So the flight diverted to Manston Airport in Kent. But, according to the Daily Mail, the problems didn't stop there.

One passenger told the paper: "We sat on the ground for two hours at Manston and we ran out of food. They stopped offering drinks but we were not allowed off the plane.

"There has been no information about forward travel arrangements from Manston and we have been told our luggage is going to Heathrow."

A spokesman for BA told the Daily Mail: "Due to the thick fog at Heathrow the BA813 flight from Copenhagen to Heathrow had to divert to Manston airport and will continue its flight to Heathrow tomorrow morning.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience and our crew cared for our customers who have been offered options including overnight hotel accommodation before flying to Heathrow in the morning or continuing their journey using ground transport and making individual claims to the company."

Manston Airport hosted four diversions on Wednesday because of fog causing disruption at Heathrow. The other three planes landed from Stockholm, Vienna and Oslo.

Manston Airport Chief Executive Charles Buchanan confirmed there had been four flights from Scandinavia that had to divert to Manston. He told Kent Online: "The four British Airways aircraft, all en route to Heathrow, needed to divert due to fog and Manston was selected as their destination."

According to the Thanet Gazette, fog caused chaos at airports across the south east yesterday, with at least 280 flights cancelled at Heathrow, and every flight from London City Airport being cancelled or delayed in the morning.

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