Will Manchester Airport flights be cancelled? How to check status - as Storm Eunice causes travel disruption

Manchester is currently facing strong winds and rain, as Storm Eunice arrived on Friday morning (February 18)

Some weather experts have claimed that the winds from Eunice could be the strongest we have experienced in 30 years.

Eunice arrives hot on the heels of Storm Dudley, which caused havoc in the north of England and Scotland, leaving thousands without power in Yorkshire and causing trains in Scotland to be cancelled on Wednesday night (February 16).

Many travel plans have been disrupted by Storm Dudley, and with Eunice predicted to be more powerful and widespread, the storm could spark mayhem for public transport, including flights.

A video has gone viral on Twitter of the Manchester City team’s plane being forced to divert to Liverpool Airport from Manchester due to the strong winds, as they arrived back from Lisbon on Wednesday.

But, are flights expected to be cancelled in Manchester today? This is what we know so far.

Will flights be cancelled from Manchester Airport?

Manchester Airport advised that it is ultimately down to the individual airlines to make the decision to cancel a flight.

However, data and analytics company Cirium reported on Friday afternoon that around 10 % of flights had been cancelled at Manchester Airport on Friday.

FlightRadar24 has reported various cancellations, including the 3.50pm Lufthansa to Frankfurt and 3.55pm Eastern Airways to Southampton on Friday.

Eastern Airways tweeted they are cancelling all flights they operate between Manchester and Southampton on Friday.

And Manchester Airport has warned travellers the airport is likely to be busy on Saturday (19 February) as they deal with the backlog - it advises people to check with their airlines ahead of travel and allow plenty of time to get through the airport.

How do I check if my flight is cancelled?

If you suspect that your flight may be cancelled on 18 February, you should contact the airline you are flying with to find out the status of your flight.

Manchester Airport’s spokesperson said: “People should check directly with their airline if they have any queries.”

Websites such as FlightAware, FlightStats and FlightRadar can also help you to keep tabs on changes to your flight including delays, diversions and cancellations.

Alternatively, some airlines will either message you or send you an email if your flight has been cancelled.

Can planes fly in storms?

Planes, and other types of aircraft are designed to withstand the harsh elements, such as storms and lightning strikes.

According to TripAdvisor, a pilot will not land the plane if the weather is dangerous, but pilots are trained to perform a landing in bad weather.

A spokesperson from Manchester Airport explained: “Planes can fly in all types of weather but again this would be down to airlines to comment on as the individual aircraft are theirs.”

What weather can Manchester expect?

The Met Office says: “Very strong winds continue through Friday in association with Storm Eunice with outbreaks of rain and hill snow. Wintry showers following as the storm clears, potentially falling to lower levels. Maximum temperature 8 °C.”

Storm Eunice has bought with it heavy rain, as Manchester has been experiencing heavy rain and strong winds from around 12pm, with the winds coming in at 56mph.

From 3pm onwards, the rain will ease off, and the wind is expected to decrease to around 40mph between 4pm and 11pm.

Manchester is expected to be less windy on Saturday 19 February with a spell of rain and hill snow, according to the Met Office.

On Sunday, we can expect showery rain.