Staff Report
Tens of thousands of homes across the UK found themselves without power overnight as Storm Goretti brought heavy snow and plummeting temperatures, triggering widespread disruption to public transport networks. The severe weather conditions, which began yesterday evening, have continued to cripple travel infrastructure into today, with fresh warnings for snow and ice issued across the country. Airlines and rail operators had already taken precautionary measures, leading to significant cancellations and closures.
Air travel has been particularly affected, with numerous flights grounded. Heathrow Airport alone saw at least 69 scheduled flights cancelled on Friday, impacting an estimated 9,000 passengers. Among the scrapped services were British Airways’ short-haul routes to Frankfurt and Munich, an American Airlines flight bound for Chicago, a United Airlines service to New York City, and an Air Canada flight destined for Ottawa. Birmingham Airport also reported reduced operations on its runway, advising passengers to contact their airlines directly for flight status updates. Further afield, both Jersey and Guernsey, the Channel Islands, closed their airports yesterday evening, though some morning cancellations are expected to give way to a return to normal operations later this afternoon. Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, proactively grounded flights yesterday to Scottish destinations like Orkney, Shetland, and Lewis, as well as to the Channel Islands, offering passengers fee-free rebooking options for up to 14 days from their original travel date.
The railway network has experienced equally significant upheaval due to the combination of heavy snowfall, strong winds, and rain. Network Rail issued an urgent advisory for passengers in the West Midlands, recommending against travel this morning due to severely limited services and numerous route closures. The East Midlands Railway network has taken the drastic step of halting all trains on the line between Sheffield and Manchester until Saturday morning, a decision made to prevent trains from becoming stranded in the severe weather. Customers on this network have been advised that even operational trains may face delays, cancellations, or alterations at short notice.
Avanti West Coast also issued a “do not travel” warning for Midlands routes until 1 PM GMT today, specifically citing heavy snowfall impacting the West Coast Main Line. The operator is running an amended timetable across all its routes from 7 AM until 3 PM, with an aim to resume normal service thereafter. They have also extended flexibility for passengers with tickets dated Thursday or Friday, allowing travel on the same route until Monday at no extra cost. In the broader Birmingham area, rail services are not expected to resume fully until at least midday, with some regional lines potentially remaining closed until Saturday. Wales is experiencing severe disruption, and all trains in Cornwall have been suspended until Friday midday.
Beyond the UK’s borders, northern France also felt the brunt of the overnight winds. Several train services there were suspended last night, with operators hoping to resume operations by early afternoon today. Routes in Normandy, Brittany, Hauts-de-France, and Île-de-France continue to face cancellations and delays, prompting travellers to check schedules before heading to stations. Ferry services across the Channel have not been immune either. Some Dover-Calais crossings have been cancelled today. Irish Ferries has brought forward sailings between Holyhead and Dublin for today, Saturday, and Sunday, while Brittany Ferries has cancelled or rescheduled several routes, including those connecting Rosslare with Cherbourg and Bilbao, and Santander with Portsmouth. Northlink, which manages ferry services between mainland Scotland and Orkney and Shetland, has issued warnings about potential disruptions to its services extending from Friday, January 9, 2026, through to Monday, January 12, 2026. The widespread impact underscores the comprehensive nature of Storm Goretti’s assault on the region’s transport infrastructure.
