Dense fog causes delays

Flights from Malta to London were delayed by an average of two hours yesterday because of late arrivals due to dense fog over the British capital that caused airlines to cancel and delay flights throughout yesterday and on Thursday.

Airlines operating flights to different airports in London, namely Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, included Air Malta, British Jet, British Airways and Ryanair.

The estimated departure time of the 4.35 p.m. Air Malta flight to Stansted was 6.15 p.m., that of the 4.50 p.m. Air Malta flight to Heathrow was 8.06 p.m. and that of the 9.35 p.m. BA flight to Gatwick was 11 p.m. Air Malta's flight from Heathrow, which had to arrive at 3.35 p.m., was expected in at 6.23 p.m., while the airline's 4 p.m. flight from Gatwick was scheduled to land at 5.07 p.m.

BA's flight scheduled to arrive at Malta from Gatwick at 8.40 p.m. was estimated to arrive at 10.07 p.m. Ryanair's flight from Luton, scheduled to arrive at 9.25 p.m., was expected at 10.55 p.m.

A spokesman for Malta International Airport said that seven Malta-bound flights from the UK were delayed on Thursday - five by Air Malta, one by British Jet and a BA one.