Luton airport car park fire: how long will flight cancellations last?

London Luton airport remains closed following a fire at the Terminal 2 car park on the evening of Tuesday, October 10. As many as 1,200 cars were damaged in the blaze, which also caused a partial building collapse. As a result, all flights to and from the airport have been suspended until at least 3pm on Wednesday, October 11. Public transport to the airport has also been disrupted. If you’re due to travel to or from Luton airport, here’s what you need to know. 

Main photo: firefighters battle the fire at London Luton airport (Getty Images)

Flights from London Luton have been suspended, with some arrivals diverted to other airports (Getty Images) Which car park at Luton airport was on fire?

The fire is believed to have started on the third floor of the recently built Terminal 2 car park shortly before 9pm on Tuesday, October 10, but quickly spread to the other floors. Witnesses heard car alarms going off and loud explosions from the fire.

The blaze continued until the early hours of Wednesday, October 11, but has now been extinguished. However, there was a partial structural collapse that has affected the safety of the building, and emergency services are expected to remain on site for most of the day.

The fire began in the airport’s Terminal 2 car park (Getty Images) What caused the fire at Luton airport?

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said that there will be a full investigation into the cause of the fire. However, it was first called to the airport for a fire involving a car on level three of the car park at 8.47pm. This quickly spread to other cars and the rest of the building, with the fire declared a major incident by 9.38pm.

A section of the car park partially collapsed in what was described as a major incident (Getty Images) Which flights have been cancelled because of the fire?

All flights to and from Luton airport have been suspended until 3pm on Wednesday, October 11. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re cancelled — some incoming flights have been diverted to other airports including London Gatwick, London Stansted and Manchester, while others are expected to be delayed until the airport reopens. 

If your flight is before 3pm, do not travel to the airport. If your flight is after 3pm, check with your airline first.

Ryanair said: “Due to the temporary closure of London Luton airport today (Wednesday, October 11) we regret to advise passengers of possible delays or cancellations on flights to/from Luton.

“Affected passengers will be advised via email, push and SMS as soon as possible.

“Ryanair advises all passengers to monitor the Day Of Travel assistant section of the Ryanair app for the latest information regarding your flight.”

EasyJet said: “Due to the ongoing closure of Luton airport our flights from Luton are currently unable to operate as planned. 

“We are doing all possible to minimise the impact on our customers, providing those on cancelled flights with options to rebook or receive a refund, as well as providing hotel accommodation and meals where required.

“We advise all passengers due to fly with us from Luton to check the status of their flights on Flight Tracker at easyjet.com/en/flight-tracker for real-time information.”

Wizz Air said: “Due to the ongoing closure of London Luton airport, Wizz Air had to cancel many of its flights to/from Luton Airport. Affected passengers are contacted and kept updated via SMS/email. 

“Although this incident is beyond Wizz Air’s control, we are doing everything to minimise disruption.”

Passenger journeys to and from London Luton airport have been disrupted as a result of the fire (Getty Images) How long will the disruption last?

Flights are currently suspended until 3pm on Wednesday, October 11. However, resumption of flights after this time will depend on whether the car park can be made safe in time to allow passengers into the area. You should therefore check for updates before you travel.

More generally, there will be travel disruption at the airport for some time. 

Arriva, which operates local buses to the airport, said: “Due to a fire at a multi-storey car park at London Luton airport all services are unable to serve the airport terminal. Services A and 100 are currently terminating at Luton Interchange; we are unable to serve Kimpton Road due to severe traffic conditions in the area.”

Those who have booked car parking at the airport may also need to find alternative options. Luton airport has advised those with car park bookings to email its customer services team at luton.customerservices@apcoa.com.

Burnt-out cars amid the wreckage of the Terminal 2 car park (Alamy) Do I get a refund if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight is cancelled due to the fire at Luton airport, you should be offered a full refund or the chance to rebook for another date.

Unfortunately no compensation is due from the airlines in this case as the fire is a situation that’s outside of their control. 

If you have any out-of-pocket expenses, for example because you booked a hotel separately and can no longer go on your holiday, you should be able to get your money back if your travel insurance provides cover for such events. 

If your trip was a package holiday, you should contact the company listed on your Atol certificate, which is usually the tour operator, for advice — they should offer you the option to cancel for a refund or the opportunity to rebook.