Belfast City Airport services cancelled as Heathrow orders 30 flights to be scrapped

Some flights between Belfast City Airport and Heathrow have been cancelled.

It comes after the London airport ordered flights to be cancelled because it could not handle the number of passengers.

The 1.55pm arrival into the City Airport from Heathrow with British Airways has been cancelled.

Meanwhile, the 2.50pm departure with British Airways to Heathrow has also been cancelled.

A Heathrow spokesman said the airport "asked airlines to remove 30 flights from the morning peak" as it was expecting more passengers "than the airport currently has capacity to serve".

He went on: "We will work with airlines to get affected passengers rebooked onto other flights outside of the peak so that as many as possible can get away, and we apologise for the impact this has on travel plans.

"We are working hard to ensure everyone has a smooth journey through Heathrow this summer, and the most important thing is to make sure that all service providers at the airport have enough resources to meet demand."

British Airways said in a statement: "As a result of Heathrow's requirement for all airlines to reduce their schedules, we've made a small number of cancellations.

"We're in contact with affected customers to apologise, advise them of their consumer rights and offer them alternative options, including a refund or rebooking."

Passengers using Heathrow in recent weeks have experienced long queues, and many have been separated from their luggage for several days.

Meanwhile, a 22-point plan to tackle flight disruption this summer has been unveiled by the Government.

The strategy is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the chaos seen at UK airports during the Easter and Jubilee holidays.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said there was "no excuse for widespread disruption" and holidaymakers "deserve certainty".

Tens of thousands of passengers have suffered flight cancellations and huge queues at airports in recent months.

Demand for travel will surge again as schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland break up for summer this week, while the academic year for those in England and Wales ends in around three weeks.

The Government's action plan includes a number of measures previously announced, such as encouraging airlines to make sure their schedule are "deliverable", an amnesty on slot rules and permitting new aviation workers to begin training before passing security checks.

A new passenger charter will be published in the coming weeks, providing passengers with a "one-stop guide" informing them of their rights and what they can expect from airports and airlines when flying.