Lightning strike triggers mass flight cancellations at London Luton Airport

Lightning strikes sparked mass flight cancellations at London Luton Airport, leaving many passengers stranded on Thursday evening. Air traffic control systems were knocked out by the extreme weather, suspending operations for around 95 minutes. It came as thunderstorms swept over the area, just north of the capital, prompting flash flooding and heavy rain after one of the UK’s driest summers on record. An estimated 30 services were affected. The disruption began at around 5:40pm on Thursday evening, lasting until 7:15pm, according to the airport that serves London and the south east. On X, one passenger reported being kept in the plane on the tarmac for two hours, while another passenger reported that her niece and nephew had been “stranded” at East Midlands Airport after their flight to Luton was diverted. Images shared of social media showed the approach to the airport had been affected by flash foods. A Luton Airport spokesperson told The Sun: “Flights to and from London Luton Airport have now resumed following an earlier suspension of operations caused by a lightning strike affecting Air Traffic Control equipment.“The disruption coincided with a period of severe weather across the area, resulting in flash flooding on local roads, and the airport approach.“As operations return to normal, some flights may continue to experience delays or cancellations as airlines work to recover their schedules.”Passengers are being advised to check the status of their flight with their airline. Thunderstorms are also believed to have impacted services at Stansted Airport. The service provider for air traffic control NATS said in a statement to the same newspaper: “Severe thunderstorms have affected parts of the south east this evening, causing significant disruption to flights at London Luton and Stansted airports.“Flights to and from London Luton Airport have now resumed following an earlier suspension caused by a lightning strike affecting Air Traffic Control equipment. We apologise for the disruption caused.”