Heathrow mired in flights backlog

Queue numbers have been issued to passengers, camped out in a marquee outside Terminal 4.

Customers have been told their number will be called when flights become available.

But those stranded said that they still had no clear idea when or whether they would be leaving Heathrow today.

Icelander Johann Aevarsson, 22, was still at the airport, having sat on the Tarmac for seven hours on Thursday hoping to fly to Detroit, America, when the strike began.

But despite the uncertainty, he and fellow paramedicine student Kristinn Ingi, also 22, were determined to make the best of their predicament.

Sipping from complimentary breakfast coffee, topped up with whiskey, Mr Ingi said: “We are having fun in the sun. We are hopeful we will get a flight eventually. We are the lucky ones, we’re young without children.”

Mr Aevarsson added: “The latest flight to Detroit was cancelled so maybe tomorrow is our best hope. We hope for the best and expect the worst.”

Canadian teacher Sandra Park, 28, stuck in London since being forced off her plane to Toronto on Thursday, said: “I’ve met two German guys who have made me laugh throughout. We’ve toured London instead of moping here.”

Peter Mohr, 42, a geologist unable to fly home to Oman for the past two days, said he had no idea when the next flight to Muscat would be.

He said: “I’m bored. Why can these people disrupt public services in this way? They’re a pain.”

Also in the dark regarding flights was Amsterdam-bound Marcel Schorting, 43, who arrived at Heathrow at 6am following a tour of Vietnam and Cambodia with partner Debbie Boer, 38.

“We’ve taken eight flights around Asia is the last three weeks and they’ve gone fine. Then we get to London and we’re unable to go the last half an hour,” he said.

“We have to be hopeful as flights are going to Amsterdam but we have no clue when our number will be called.”