Thousands of air passengers have been stranded around the world as the first serious snowfall of the winter sparked travel chaos.
More than 140 outbound short-haul British Airways flights and 26 long-haul departures were cancelled yesterday.
The airline has cancelled a further 70 short-haul round trips today, as well as nine long-haul flights.
It is thought there are around 27,000 BA passengers marooned in , a further 20,000 stuck in European airports, and another 3,000 at airports elsewhere in the UK and neighbouring countries after their flights to Heathrow were diverted.
Air passengers complained of spending hours sitting on grounded flights and then having trouble re-booking cancelled flights.
Armed police were called in to act as ‘escorts’ as thousands of British Airways passengers were left stranded in airports across the world
Frustrated passengers wait for their delayed and cancelled flights from Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 yesterday as the weather caused travel chaos
This is the baggage hall in Terminal 5 in the arrivals hall at Heathrow where thousands of passengers faced travel chaos yesterday
Tala Hajaj, a freelance hair stylist, told MailOnline her 70-year-old disabled mother (pictured together) was forced to wait 10 hours yesterday for her BA flight to Riyadh from Heathrow, only to be told it was cancelled
One customer revealed how firearms officers were called to the British Airways business lounge around 11.30pm on Sunday night after his flight to mumbai escorts was cancelled.
He told the Daily Mirror: ‘British Airways closed the first class lounge at 22.30 and everyone was asked to go to normal business lounge upstairs where food and all alcoholic drinks had been removed.
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‘At 23.00 we were told by lounge manager that we must be out of that lounge by 23.30.
‘It was shortly after that when a number of armed police arrived in lounge.
‘British Airways says this was a decision taken by Heathrow Airport to prevent any escalation of a situation. There was no situation to escalate!’
This was the scene inside Heathrow Airport at 3am this morning as passengers were left stranded.
Passenger Laura Bryce, who took the picture, said: ‘It’s 3am at Heathrow Airport and this is the line for British Airways. No food. No flights. No hotels. Lots of lost luggage. And British Airways staff went home’
British Airways passengers sleep on the floor of Terminal 5 in London Heathrow after the weather caused chaos and left thousands of people stranded
Travellers sleep in Heathrow Terminal 5 this morning as yesterday’s snow continues to affect thousands of people
Many flights were cancelled today as yesterday’s snow continues to cause travel chaos
A BA spokesperson said the armed police ‘were not called upon to help with any problems, they simply offered their assistance as escorts to help customers leave as quickly as possible.’
A similar incident appeared to have taken place in Stockholm following a lengthy delay.
A British Airways passenger tweeted: ‘Riot police called in Stockholm everyone is furious, no BA staff, ten hours delay then you CANCEL.’
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