Heathrow cancels 200 flights to avoid aircraft noise during Queen’s funeral

About 35,000 passengers due to fly to and from Heathrow airport on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are learning that their flights have been cancelled or re-timed. Around 200 flights are expected to be grounded, the vast majority on Monday.

Aircraft movements at the UK’s busiest airport will be halted from 11.40am to 12.10pm on Monday, around the two-minute silence to honour the late Queen.

Between 1.45pm and 2.20pm, no arrivals will be allowed during the procession of Her Majesty’s hearse.

Departures will be more significantly affected. Between 3.05pm and 4.45pm, no departures will be permitted. Normally 68 flights would take off during this spell. The corresponding inbound flights will also be grounded.

From 4.45pm, flightpaths will be diverted around Windsor Castle to minimise noise during the private family service and interment.

Around 15 per cent of Heathrow’s schedule will be altered, which is equivalent to a moderate weather event.

A spokesperson for the airport said: “As a mark of respect, operations to and from the airport will be subject to appropriate changes in order to avoid noise disruption at certain locations at specific times on Monday.

“In order to observe these moments on Monday, airlines will need to adjust their schedules accordingly, which will mean some changes to flights.

“Passengers affected by these changes will be contacted directly by their airlines about their travel plans and the options available to them.

“Heathrow will have additional colleagues in the terminals to support passengers on their journeys and will be regularly updating its website with passenger advice.

“Roads around the airport are expected to be extremely busy and passengers are encouraged to avoid travelling by car to the airport, and to use public transport instead.

“We apologise in advance for the inconvenience some passengers will experience as a result of these exceptional circumstances.”

British Airways is expected to make around half the cancellations, with the bulk affecting flights to and from Europe.

Long-haul links, and those to airports in the UK, will be protected as far as possible. A number of flights will be rescheduled.

A BA spokesperson said: “As a mark of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral, we have reduced our schedule and re-timed some flights at Heathrow to ensure the skies are quiet at certain moments on Monday 19 September.

“Our thoughts remain with the Royal Family and the nation.”

Virgin Atlantic has cancelled four US flights to and from Heathrow and moved one more several hours earlier.

Sunday’s overnight flight VS20 from San Francisco to London Heathrow, due to land at noon on Monday, as well as Sunday’s VS142 from Los Angeles, expected at 12.25pm on Monday, have both been grounded.

In the opposite direction, the VS23 to Los Angeles and VS41 to San Francisco – due out at 4.30pm and 5.30pm on Monday – are also cancelled.

The departure to Las Vegas on Monday, due out at 3.05pm, will instead leave at 11.30pm – before the committal ceremony in Windsor

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “Working closely with London Heathrow, Nats [the air-traffic control provider] and other airlines, as a mark of respect we’re making some adjustments to our schedule in order to accommodate restrictions that will avoid noise disruption during the ceremonial aspects of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral and committal ceremony.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank those affected customers for their understanding during this solemn occasion for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

“Given the scale and complexity of this unique and sad occasion, we recommend that all customers plan their journey to and from the airport carefully and check their flight status before travelling to the airport.”

Aer Lingus has grounded eight flights: three round-trips from Dublin to Heathrow and one from Belfast City.

Winds from the west are predicted for Monday. Typically aircraft would approach Heathrow on a flight path just to the south of Westminster, creating significant noise.

Additional airport disruption is possible due to the movement of flights carrying heads of state, in particular US President Biden.

Heathrow has said non-essential shops will be closed on Monday