British Airways halts 100 flights to damp noise at royal funeral

British Airways will scrap 100 flights from its London Heathrow base on Monday and re-time others as the airport, airlines and air traffic controllers work to minimise noise during Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral.

About 15% of Heathrow’s schedule will be altered, according to the hub, with flights halted for various durations through the day.

There will be no aircraft movements for 30 minutes from 11:40am to 12:10pm to avoid disrupting a two-minute silence at the end of the funeral, and no arrivals for 35 minutes starting at 1:45pm during the procession of the queen’s hearse. Departures will be barred for 1 hour 40 minutes from 3:05pm as the cortege approaches Windsor Castle for the former monarch’s interment, and limited until 9pm while the service concludes.

Customers booked on affected British Airways flights can choose alternative services or opt for a refund, an airline spokesman said, adding that no long-haul operations are among those cancelled.

Flights were impacted for about two hours Wednesday during the transfer of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall for her lying in state, with King Charles III walking behind. Heathrow will also ask passengers to observe a one-minute silence at 8pm Sunday and show the funeral on screens in terminals on Monday, when non-essential shops will be closed.

“​As a mark of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her state funeral, we have reduced our schedule and re-timed some flights at Heathrow to ensure the skies are quiet at certain moments, BA said. — Bloomberg