UK flights cancelled as Oxfordshire grandad left stranded

Operational data shows that snowstorms and strike action in February led to more than 700 flight cancellations and over 5,000 delays across Europe, with services at the two London hubs among those affected.

​Further figures from March 10 record at least 42 UK flight cancellations and 146 delays at airports including Heathrow, as airlines such as British Airways and easyJet struggled with knock‑on disruption linked to airspace closures and operational pressures.

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By March 18, a separate storm system and French air traffic control walkouts had triggered at least 210 additional cancellations and more than 2,700 delays across the continent.

​Henley butcher and grandfather Barry Wagner was one of those caught up in the chaos, spending close to a week stuck in Dubai.

This was after multiple flights back to the UK were cancelled before he was finally able to return home earlier this month.

​Whilst stuck in Dubai, Mr Wagner told ITV: “You just don’t know what’s going to happen. The biggest fear is the debris coming down from the interception is what is most scary.

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“You just want to be home. I want to see my family. Want to see my grandchild. You know, just desperately want to be home.”

Having since returned home to Oxfordshire, the grandfather told the Henley Herald: “We are so relieved to be home.

“Dubai was beautiful and felt very safe…until the missiles obviously, but I don’t think I’ll be going back any time soon.

“I wouldn’t want to relive what we went through!”