Gulf carriers cancel UK flights after heavy snow

Several Gulf carriers have been forced to cancel their UK flights after heavy snow blanketed much of the country on Sunday morning.

Emirates Airline was the worst hit, halting four flights from its UK schedule. “Flights EK29 and EK05 – scheduled to depart Dubai at 09:40 and 16:30 respectively – and the return flights EK30 and EK06, due to depart London Heathrow at 16:35 and 22:00 on the same day, have been cancelled,” the company said in a statement on its website.

Etihad Airways said it had cancelled two flights into London Heathrow, and was advising passengers of alternative flights. “ Flights EY 11 (02.40) from Abu Dhabi to London and the return flight EY 12 (0915) from London to Abu Dhabi will not operate,” the company said.

Qatar Airways also cancelled its flight QR001 from Doha to London Heathrow, and flight QR002 from Heathrow to Doha.  “Due to severe weather expected in the UK over the weekend with forecasts of heavy snow and icy conditions, especially in the south, flights will be affected in and out of London Heathrow. To minimise disruption to passengers and operations at Heathrow, airport authority BAA has imposed a cut in the number of flights for all airlines flying to and from Heathrow,” the airline said on its website.