Thousands of transatlantic passengers are facing disruption with the cancellation of flights between Britain and the US as Hurricane Sandy hits the east coast of the US.
BA and Virgin Atlantic have cancelled all flights to and from New York, Washington and Boston, with Baltimore and Philadelphia flights also cut.
Passengers are being offered the opportunity to rebook or get a refund.
But disruption could last for days if Sandy intensifies.
With winds of 75mph, the hurricane - dubbed "Frankenstorm" - is threatening 50 million people along the densely-populated east coast.
Emergencies have been declared in a number of states from North Carolina to Connecticut.
'Safety is highest priority'United Airlines has cancelled departures from Manchester and Birmingham to some US cities, and Virgin Atlantic has already cancelled early flights on Tuesday to JFK and Newark Airport in New York - a sign that the storm could cause delays for more than 24 hours.
A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic highlighted the "number one priority" of passenger and crew safety.
He said: "We are continuously liaising with local authorities to assess the situation and minimise the disruption caused to passengers."
He advised passengers to check the Virgin website for latest updates.
A statement from BA said: "We understand that customers may be disappointed, however, their safety is our highest priority.
"We are offering the option to rebook or receive a refund to those customers whose flights are cancelled.
"We have also received reports that public transport links to East Coast US airports may be disrupted, so advise customers to review their flight and local travel plans before leaving for the airport."
Heathrow Airport has asked those due to fly to the US to check their flight status before travelling.
Widespread destruction forecastThe storm - which has killed 60 people in the Caribbean during the past week - could cause destruction over 800 miles from the East Coast to the Great Lakes as it merges with a wintry storm from the western US.
At 02:00 EDT (06:00 GMT), the storm was turning north, its eye swirling about 425 miles (760km) south-east of New York City, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As many as 375,000 people have been ordered to evacuate low-lying areas of the city and authorities have been shutting down the Eastern Seaboard.
Apart from New York, states of emergency have also been declared in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC and a coastal county in North Carolina.
And it is forcing presidential candidates to adjust schedules and cancel events, just one week before the US elections.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Hurricane disrupts UK passengers
Dengan url
http://sarapanoatmeal.blogspot.com/2012/10/hurricane-disrupts-uk-passengers.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Hurricane disrupts UK passengers
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Hurricane disrupts UK passengers
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar