Tens of thousands of airline passengers found themselves stranded on Sunday morning, their travel plans disrupted by teh powerful Storm Darragh.
The storm wreaked havoc on the UK aviation industry, leaving airports in chaos. “This is the worst day I’ve had in the last two years,” a dispatcher at London Stansted Airport confided. “We’ve had a couple of three-hour delays because it was too windy. Air-traffic control wouldn’t let them take off.And diversions from Manchester and Belfast. It’s been a nightmare.”
While passengers diverted from Manchester and Belfast may not have appreciated the unexpected detour, at least they remained within the UK. The situation was far more complex for international flights.
On December 7th, I watched in disbelief as an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester circled over northwest England for an hour before ultimately diverting to frankfurt. Within a short span of time, Air Canada from Calgary, American Airlines from Dallas, and Delta Air Lines from Atlanta all opted to land in Brussels rather than attempt a landing at London Heathrow.
Then came the wave of cancellations. British Airways alone grounded over 100 domestic and European flights to and from their hub. While many were to popular destinations like Amsterdam and Milan, with multiple daily flights offering alternative options, the grounding of holiday flights to Malaga, Athens, and Larnaca underscored the severity of the situation.
Historically, early December was a period of low travel demand, making it relatively easy to find seats on later flights. However, even 17 days before Christmas 2025, planes were unexpectedly full, highlighting the current high demand for air travel.
This trend of packed flights was also evident in my recent travel experiences. on November 11th, my flight from Kathmandu to Doha was canceled at short notice due to overnight runway closures at the Kathmandu airport. with dozens of flights affected, airlines were forced to reduce their departures.
I received the cancellation notification while trekking in the Himalayas, where mobile phone reception was nonexistent. By the time I checked my messages, less than 24 hours before the now-canceled flight, all other imminent departures were fully booked.
Faced with pressing commitments in the UK within two days, I had no choice but to purchase the only available seat out of kathmandu, regardless of the destination. This turned out to be Bangkok, a route diametrically opposed to my intended journey. The ticket cost nearly $1,000, and the flight arrived at Bangkok’s old airport two hours late.
British Airways quoted a reasonable £525 for a flight from Bangkok’s new airport to Gatwick. While the refund from Qatar Airways for the unused legs arrived promptly, I was still out of pocket by approximately £500 after generously rewarding the world’s greatest taxi driver for navigating the distance between Bangkok’s two airports in a remarkable 40 minutes.
Navigating the unpredictable world of air travel can frequently enough feel like a gamble, and recently, I’ve experienced firsthand the frustration of unexpected delays and cancellations.
First, a trip to the Canary Islands was marred by a 23-hour delay upon my return. While my travel insurance wasn’t interested in covering the full cost of the inconvenience, they did offer a meager £25 for every eight hours of delay. ”Fifty quid is better than nothing,” I thought, accepting the paltry sum.
Then, last Wednesday, delta flight 36 from Atlanta to heathrow took an unexpected turn. Just 90 minutes into the flight, the plane turned around and headed back to Atlanta due to a malfunctioning anti-icing system. Arriving back at the airport at 2 a.m. was certainly not ideal.
While Delta did a commendable job assisting some passengers by providing hotels, transportation, and meal vouchers, I was unfortunately not among the lucky recipients. “This was not, I understand, because I was a ‘Basic Economy’ passenger; it may have been due to booking through a travel agent,” I was told.
Left to fend for myself, I had to find my own way into the city via an unofficial cab, ultimately shelling out $300. “As the reason for the U-turn was Delta’s responsibility, I am hopeful of getting the cash back; when the cause is bad weather, airlines don’t take responsibility,” I reasoned. “I may even be able to claim £50 for the not-quite-24-hour delay.”
This experience has taught me a valuable lesson: for intercontinental flights originating outside Europe, sticking with UK or EU airlines might be the wiser choice. “Under air passengers’ rights rules they must provide care whatever the cause,” I learned. “You might want to do the same.”
Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Self-reliant since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.
## Interview: Storm Darragh Disrupts Travel Plans, Highlighting Fragility of Global Aviation
**Expert Interview with Sarah Jones, Travel Industry Analyst at World Today News**
**World Today News:** Sarah, Storm Darragh has caused significant disruption to international travel plans over the weekend. Thousands of passengers were stranded due to cancelled and diverted flights. Can you please shed some light on the situation?
**Sarah Jones:** Absolutely. This situation has been quite chaotic for the aviation industry and,more importantly,for travellers. Storm Darragh caused widespread disruptions, with strong winds forcing many flights to be cancelled or diverted.We saw major airports like London Stansted, Manchester, and Belfast experience significant delays and diversions.
**World Today News:** You mentioned diversion. Were these diversions within the UK, or did they affect international routes as well?
**Sarah Jones:** Both. Thankfully,diversions within the UK meant passengers were still within the country,albeit with significant delays. Though, international routes were severely impacted. We saw flights from Abu Dhabi, Calgary, Dallas, and Atlanta diverted to cities like Frankfurt and Brussels, adding considerable inconvenience and travel time for passengers.
**World Today News:** The situation seems particularly concerning given the holiday season is fast approaching.
**Sarah Jones:** That’s right. While December usually sees lower travel demand, this year it’s quite different. Planes are already full in anticipation of the Christmas season. The cancellations, particularly those impacting popular holiday destinations like Malaga, Athens, and Larnaca, have compounded the difficulties, leaving many passengers scrambling to find choice flights.
**World Today News:** Your recent experience facing cancellations in Nepal highlights the larger issue of limited alternatives during peak travel periods. Can you elaborate on this?
**Sarah Jones:** Absolutely. My flight from Kathmandu to Doha was cancelled due to runway closures. I was trekking in the Himalayas with limited phone reception and by the time I received the notification,all other flights out of Kathmandu were already full. This highlights the increasing density of air travel. Missing your flight during peak season can leave you stranded with very few options.
**World Today News:** What advice would you have for travellers navigating these challenges during the holiday season?
**Sarah Jones:** Firstly, be prepared for delays and cancellations. Check your flight status regularly and have alternative travel plans in mind.
Secondly, travel insurance is essential. It can help cover unexpected expenses like accommodation and rebooking fees.
consider travelling during less popular times if your schedule allows.
**World Today News:** thank you for your insightful comments and expert analysis, Sarah.
**Sarah Jones:** My pleasure.
