Hope for Kiwis trapped in London

Hundreds of stranded New Zealanders might be able to make it home for the holidays after all with the news that London's Heathrow Airport is due to reopen on a limited basis this evening, New Zealand time.

The airport was closed yesterday and flights were cancelled as London was hit by some of the heaviest snow in decades.

Heathrow today announced a limited schedule of arrivals and departures, but stressed that travellers must check if their flight was operating before coming to the airport.

Air New Zealand was unable to say whether any of its flights would be among those departing Heathrow tonight.

Further cancellations and delays are likely over the coming days as more snow, sleet and fog is forecast.

Two Air NZ planes have been stranded at Heathrow since the airport closed, while flights from New Zealand to London have been cancelled.

"Those that choose to cancel their travel plans will be entitled to a full refund even if their tickets are non-refundable, but those that travel do so at their own risk and will have to cover the costs of being stranded halfway," an Air NZ spokeswoman told NZPA.

One of those trapped in London, Sydney-based NZPA bureau chief Chris Barclay, had planned to fly out of Heathrow last night on Qantas, but his flight was cancelled and he now hoped to leave when the airport reopened.

It would be "pretty disappointing" if he couldn't spend Christmas in Christchurch with his family.

"The old man is getting old, getting on ... and it's my mother's birthday a couple of days after [Christmas day] as well," he said.

Barclay said he was lucky enough to avoid staying the night at the airport as had stayed with a friend in London.

Not-so-lucky passengers have been sleeping in makeshift dormitories at the Paris airport and at Amsterdam's Schiphol, while staff at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London handed out foam mats and foil blankets to the stranded.

Some fashioned improvised beds from clothes, chairs and stacked suitcases.

Britain's national weather forecaster, the Met Office, said the snow falls were the heaviest in December in decades and a low temperature record was a possibility.

- NZPA