Luton Airport operations suspended for 95 minutes after lightning strike
Disruption to air traffic control equipment led to 30 flight services being affected on Thursday evening.
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London Luton Airport suspended all operations for 95 minutes on Thursday evening after a lightning strike affected Air Traffic Control equipment. The disruption began at 5.40pm and concluded at 7.15pm, impacting an estimated 30 flight services. The airport has since confirmed that flights have resumed.
The incident occurred during a period of severe weather across the region. This also led to flash flooding on local roads and the airport approach. A spokesperson for Luton Airport apologised for the disruption caused and noted that some flights might still experience delays or cancellations as airlines work to restore their schedules.
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Air Traffic Control Provider Statement
NATS, the air traffic control provider, confirmed that severe thunderstorms affected parts of the south east of England on Thursday evening. This caused significant disruption to flights at both London Luton and Stansted airports. NATS stated that flights to and from Luton Airport had resumed following the earlier suspension.
Passengers experienced the effects of the disruption, with one individual reporting being kept on a plane on the tarmac for two hours. Another passenger's relatives were reportedly stranded at East Midlands Airport after their flight to Luton was diverted.
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Questions this report answers
+Why was London Luton Airport's operations suspended?
Operations were suspended for 95 minutes on Thursday evening due to a lightning strike that affected Air Traffic Control equipment. This occurred during severe thunderstorms in the area.
+How many flights were affected by the disruption?
An estimated 30 flight services were impacted by the suspension of operations at London Luton Airport. Some flights may continue to face delays or cancellations as airlines recover their schedules.
+What other issues were caused by the severe weather?
The severe weather also caused flash flooding on local roads and the airport approach. This disruption affected both London Luton and Stansted airports.
WE FILE
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