Heathrow Airport Flight Status
How to check on delays and cancellations at LHR
London's Heathrow Airport is the busiest international airport in the world. Flight status information provided by airlines may be seen on Heathrow's website also.
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow is located at the west end of the suburbs of London, England. It is a major international airport where many flights end or connect with others.
Heathrow can experience delays, particularly in the winter months when fog or ice can slow down airport operations.
Because Heathrow (LHR) is such an important airline hub, delays there tend to have a ripple effect and to cause slowdowns throughout the larger network of international flights.
Private Flight Tracking Services
Several private websites provide flight statistics and flight tracking information for airports and airlines around the world. It is a useful "one-stop shopping" site for checking multiple airports from one website. However, as a double check, it is wise to look at the websites of the airports and airlines themselves as the time for departure or arrival draws near, in case there are any special local bulletins that Flightstats has not picked up.
To check on the status of flights specifically at Heathrow, the best local source is Heathrow Airport's website. There is a link for Flight Information on the home page. You can enter the flight number or the place the flight you seek is coming from or going to, and then select whether you want to look at Arrivals or Departures.
If you do not fill in any flight details, you can simply check Arrivals or Departures and click on Go to get a list of the current flights.
The list will show the Expected time (arriving or deparing), and will say Delayed if that is the case.
London Weather
To check the current weather and the forecast for London and beyond, you can find links for national weather offices for England and other countries in the article Flying Basics - Weather Info.
Checking with the Airline
When there are delays at Heathrow, you can also check with the airline directly to see if they are providing any specific advice for your flight. In most cases, the easiest way to do this is to look at the airline's website rather than try to phone them.
The information Heathrow provides actually comes from the airlines, so if there is a difference between what the two sources of information say, the airline is the one you should follow. You should also expect that Heathrow's information will be updated shortly to be the same as the airline's.
Delays and Special Needs Travellers
If you have special needs, the last thing you want is to be held up in a lengthy airport delay.
If possible, find out at the time of booking whether the airline can give you a dedicated phone number to call, for special needs passengers. Ask what the policy is for delayed or cancelled flights for your particular case, and ask for this in writing.
Heathrow's website includes a section on Special Needs (you reach this from the home page), but it does not comment on flight delays or cancellations.
Both the airline and the airport have a responsibility for your care and comfort in the terminal. In times of multiple flight delays and cancellations, try to get the airline to rebook you on another flight before you even leave home, if that is at all possible. In cases of extreme delays you should try to deal with the airline, to make a more convenient travel plan for yourself. Once you get to the airport, the facilities are limited compared to being at home.
