UK Suffers Massive Travel Chaos as British, American, Lufthansa, United, easyJet and Others Face 17 Flight Cancellations and 450 Delays Across Heathrow, Gatwick, London City and Connected Routes Including Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam Schiphol, Manchester and More

Published on December 14, 2025

UK suffers massive travel chaos today as British, American, Lufthansa, United, easyJet and others face 467 total disruptions, including 450 flight delays and 17 cancellations. London Heathrow recorded 285 delays and 10 cancellations. Followed by London Gatwick with 160 delays and 6 cancellations. London City saw 5 delays and 1 cancellation.
The most affected airlines across the capital included British Airways (and its subsidiaries BA Euroflyer and BA CityFlyer) with 203 delays and 10 cancellations, and easyJet with 100 delays and 5 cancellations, largely concentrated at Gatwick. Other airlines experiencing notable delays included Lufthansa (11), Aer Lingus (12), Ryanair (10), Air France (5), Air India (4), Etihad Airways (4), and Vueling Airlines (4).
Disruption spread across major European gateways connected to London, including Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam Schiphol, Manchester, and Brussels.

• Updated today: London airports recorded 450 delays and 17 cancellations across London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and London City.
• Heathrow (LHR) led disruptions with 285 delays and 10 cancellations, far exceeding other London airports.
• British Airways Group was the most affected airline overall, with 203 delays and 10 cancellations across all London airports.
• easyJet ranked second overall and first at Gatwick, logging 100 delays and 5 cancellations.
• US-linked operations were limited, with 20 delays and 3 cancellations at Heathrow, and minimal impact elsewhere.

Most Affected Airports by UK Flight Cancellations and Delays

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

Heathrow accounted for the largest share of disruption, with 285 delays and 10 cancellations. The airport’s issues affected a wide range of airlines, led by British Airways, and extended to major hubs such as Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam Schiphol, Manchester, and Brussels, highlighting systemic congestion rather than isolated route failures.

London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

Gatwick recorded 160 delays and 6 cancellations, making it the second most disrupted London airport. The impact was concentrated among leisure and short-haul carriers, particularly easyJet and BA Euroflyer, with ripple effects to destinations including Madeira (Funchal), Rome Fiumicino, and Krakow.

London City Airport (LCY)

London City experienced limited disruption, with 5 delays and 1 cancellation. The impact primarily involved BA CityFlyer, with minor delays affecting flights connected to Florence and Berlin, reflecting the airport’s smaller, business-focused operation.

Frankfurt International Airport (FRA)

Frankfurt emerged as a key affected destination linked to Heathrow, recording multiple delays on London-connected services, particularly involving Lufthansa, underscoring knock-on effects between major European hubs.

Dublin International Airport (DUB)

Dublin saw several delayed connections tied to Heathrow and Gatwick operations. Aer Lingus services were notably impacted, reinforcing the interdependence between UK and Irish air traffic flows.

Airlines Most Affected by UK Flight Cancellations and Delays

British Airways

British Airways, including BA Euroflyer and BA CityFlyer, recorded the highest overall disruption with 10 cancellations and 203 delays, primarily at Heathrow, but also at Gatwick and London City.

easyJet

easyJet followed with 5 cancellations, all at Gatwick, alongside 100 delays, making it the most affected single airline at that airport.

United Airlines

United recorded 1 cancellation and 2 delays at Heathrow, representing a small but notable impact among US carriers.

American Airlines

American Airlines experienced 1 cancellation and 3 delays, all linked to Heathrow operations.

BA Euroflyer

Operating mainly from Gatwick, BA Euroflyer logged 1 cancellation and 20 delays, placing it among the most cancellation-affected carriers outside British Airways mainline.

How Travellers Were Impacted

• Expectation of longer wait times at major London airports, especially Heathrow and Gatwick
• Increased likelihood of missed connections on European and long-haul routes
• Greater pressure on rebooking and standby options, particularly for British Airways and easyJet passengers
• Higher demand for alternate routings via regional or secondary airports
• Need for passengers to monitor airline notifications closely for schedule adjustments

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Overview of UK Flight Cancellations

Flight cancellations across London remained moderate in volume but concentrated in key hubs, with 17 total cancellations reported across Heathrow, Gatwick, and London City. London Heathrow dominated cancellations, driven mainly by British Airways, while London Gatwick cancellations were led by easyJet and BA Euroflyer.
Repeatedly affected airports included London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and connected destinations such as Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Manchester, reflecting the cascading nature of disruptions through Europe’s busiest corridors. Airlines most frequently associated with cancellations and delays included British Airways, easyJet, United Airlines, American Airlines, and BA Euroflyer, reinforcing the concentration of disruption among high-frequency operators at London’s busiest airports.

Image Source: AI

Source: Different airports and FlightAware