London’s busiest airport, Heathrow, is working alongside airlines to ensure minimal disruption will occur during the funeral of Her late Majesty The Queen.
In accordance with NATS – the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services – operations to and from the airport will change as is appropriate. The goal is avoid noise disruption at certain locations at specific times, especially during the processions that will take place. To make these changes, Heathrow officials said airlines will need to adjust schedules accordingly which could mean changes to flights.
Passengers impacted will be contacted directly by their airlines about changes to the itinerary, and the options available to them. If your flight has been cancelled and/or you do not have a confirmed seat on the flight, it is asked you do not go to the airport.
During the travel disruptions, Heathrow will have additional staff on hand to support passengers throughout the terminals. They will also regularly update their website with passenger advice. Roads around the airport are also expected to be extremely busy and people are discouraged from traveling by car to and from the airport. Instead, it is asked they use public transportation.
The following changes have been confirmed by Heathrow during the national mourning period:
- Observing the National Moment of Reflection with a one-minute silence at 8pm on Sunday 18 September
- Screens at the airport on Monday 19 September to show Her Late Majesty’s funeral
- Non-essential shops will close on Monday 19 September. Retailers such as Boots, Travelex, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and WHSmith will remain open.
On Monday 19 September, Her late Majesty will have a State Funeral at Westminster Abbey and a Committal Service at Windsor Castle. During this time, people will get to pay their final respects as she is taken on her final journey between locations.
