Is YOUR flight affected by the London Luton car park fire? What you need to know after huge inferno that caused £20m structure to collapse

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Up to 50,000 passengers are suffering disruption after London Luton Airport was closed when a vehicle fire caused a car park to collapse.

More than 140 flights due to take off or land at the Bedfordshire airport today have been cancelled since the fire started shortly before 9pm last night.

Flights were suspended until 3pm this afternoon, with passengers booked on services due to depart before then advised not to go to the airport.

Here, MailOnline looks at the key questions surrounding the fire, and how it could affect your flight.

What has happened at Luton Airport?

Luton Airport was closed until 3pm today after a fire ripped through a multi-storey car park last night, causing it to collapse and destroying hundreds of cars.

How many flights have been cancelled?

More than 140 flights at Luton Airport have been cancelled so far today due to the car park fire - including 73 departures and 70 arrivals, according to FlightRadar 24.

Which airlines have been affected?

The worst-hit airline by the Luton fire today was easyJet, which has its base at the hub and was forced to axe 79 flights, including 39 departures and 40 arrivals.

Wizz Air had to cancel 25 departures and 25 arrivals, while Ryanair axed eight departures and five arrivals. One Air Hamburg departure was also cancelled.

Luton Airport remains closed today after a vehicle fire caused a car park to collapse last night 

Have any flights been diverted?

Yes, 11 arrivals at Luton scheduled early this morning were diverted to other UK airports including London Stansted, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Bristol.

When did the fire begin at Luton Airport?

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service received the first report at 8.47pm last night and its first two appliances arrived at the scene just under ten minutes later.

Where did the fire begin at Luton Airport?

The fire was on the third floor of the airport's new £20million terminal car park two.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze would have started in a vehicle that arrived at about the time the fire started.

Burned out cars are pictured in a charred section of the car park at Luton Airport this morning 

What was the cause of the fire?

The cause of the blaze has not been confirmed, but Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has said it was called to a fire involving a diesel car.

AA technical expert Greg Carter said the most common cause of car fires is an electrical fault with the 12-volt battery system.

He added that diesel is 'much less flammable' than petrol, and in a car it takes 'intense pressure or sustained flame' to ignite diesel.

Did the fire start in an electric car?

No. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service chief Andy Hopkinson said it is thought the blaze started with a diesel car, before spreading through the car park.

MailOnline understands that the car that caused the blaze was a Range Rover. 

Is the fire now out?

Yes. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said in an update at 8.45am today that crews have now controlled and extinguished the fire.

Four crews and an aerial appliance remained at the scene this morning. At its peak, there were 15 fire appliances and more than 100 firefighters battling the blaze.

Passengers are facing disruption as Luton Airport remains closed because of last night's fire

When will flights resume at Luton Airport?

What are you rights if your flight is cancelled? Travel expert NICKY KELVIN reveals what airlines must provide

A number of flights have been suspended owing to a large fire at one of Luton Airport's car parks overnight, causing a partial collapse of one of the buildings.

With a number of flight cancellations and delays expected today as a result, it's important that travellers check their flights - by checking airport arrival and departure boards online and their specific airline's website to ensure that their flight is still proceeding as normal.

It's important to keep an eye on emails too - travellers are often given updates on cancellations here before anywhere else.

For an expert travel hack, I would recommend looking at Flight Radar 24 which allows users to track the exact aircraft that will be flying your route.

Travellers will then be able to see where there plane is and whether it has made it out of its previous destination. Knowing this information will help them to determine whether they will be encountering any delays ahead of your trip.

If you're delayed for more than two hours on a short-haul flight, airlines must provide you with support such as food and drink and reimbursement for phone calls.

If you're delayed overnight, they will provide you accommodation and transport to a hotel or home.

Usually if you arrive at your destination more than three hours late you are entitled to compensation, however as this is an air traffic control issue and out of the airlines' control, this type of compensation will not be payable.

If your flight has been cancelled, the airline should find you a new flight if you elect for that option. You can also request that the airline gives you a flight on a rival provider if there's a flight available that's earlier than your original airline can offer.

You don't have to travel with the same airline. The issue with this situation is that all airlines have been affected by these issues so trying to fly with different airlines may also not be possible.

NICKY KELVIN is editor at The Points Guy. For more of his tips, click here

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Luton Airport said emergency services remain at the scene and flights were suspended until 3pm today, having initially been paused until 12pm.

Passengers booked on flights due to depart before 3pm were advised not to go to the airport. There is also likely to be a knock-on impact after 3pm.

Was anyone injured in the fire?

Yes, six people. Four firefighters and a member of airport staff were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and another firefighter was treated at the scene.

What has Luton Airport said about the fire?

In a statement just before 4pm today, Luton Airport said: 'The runway is now open, and flights are beginning to arrive and depart.

'Main roads around the area have also re-opened, but delays are expected on the airport approach.

'For those arriving by car, the Long and Mid-stay car parks are fully operational, and a temporary drop-off area has been established in the Mid-stay car park.

'For those travelling to the airport by rail, the DART shuttle remains out of service with replacement buses in operation.

'Additional staff remain on hand to assist passengers across the airport.

'Those with queries relating to a parked vehicle or future booking in Terminal Car Park 2 and Terminal Car Park 1, should contact [email protected] for support.

'Passengers should contact their airline for information regarding their flight.'

Are trains and buses also affected?

East Midlands Railway and Thameslink services were still stopping at the nearby Luton Airport Parkway station this morning, although National Rail had issued a warning to passengers, saying: 'Please do not attempt to travel to Luton Airport.'

Services on the Luton Dart, the new £290million cable car shuttle that takes passengers from the station to the airport, were suspended due to the fire.

The Uno bus service in Hertfordshire said there was disruption across the 610 and X10 routes due to 'significant traffic delays around the Luton area'.

Centrebus added that some of its Luton services were 'currently heavily delayed due a number of road closures in Luton, following the Luton Airport fire'.

Which roads are affected by the fire?

Luton Council said these roads in the town are currently closed due to the fire:

• Airport Way/jct. Percival Way
• Eaton Green Road/jct. Frank Leicester Way
• Eaton Green Road/jct. Vauxhall Way
• Airport Way/jct. Vauxhall Way
• A1081 (New Airport Way)/jct. Gipsy Lane

How many cars have been affected?

The terminal two car park has a capacity of just over 1,900 cars and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service estimated that up to 1,500 cars were in the affected site.

The fire service said the severity of the blaze had caused 'significant structural collapse', adding: 'It is believed that up to 1,200 vehicles may have been in the car park at the time of the fire and subsequently damaged.'

The fire is thought to have started with a diesel car, before spreading through the car park

Can I park my car elsewhere at Luton?

A check on Luton Airport's official website today found there was no availability for parking before Friday, October 27 - with a space at the Terminal 1 Car Park available for £137.99 for the week from that date.

The website, which had a wait time of eight minutes just to enter it this morning amid heightened demand, said the site is just a four-minute walk to the terminal, and is the closest car park to the terminal entrance.

The fire took place at the airport's Terminal Car Park 2 – and no spaces were listed on that site today, even when looking one year in advance.

Demand will now increase for rival operators such as Purple Parking, for which the cheapest price available through its website for a week from October 27 was £170 for a 'meet-and-greet' service.

How many people are affected by flight disruption?

Around 25,000 airline passengers are suffering disruption at Luton Airport, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

Travel expert Simon Calder has estimated the figure at 'between 40,000 and 50,000 people', reported BBC News.

What are your rights if your flight is cancelled?

In the UK, if an airline cancels your flight then it has give you a refund or book you on an alternative flight - either with that airline or a rival operator.

Those who were already at the airport when their flight was cancelled are entitled to be given accommodation, transport to a hotel or your home and food vouchers.

Passengers can also make their own 'reasonable' arrangements before asking the airline to reimburse them - but retaining receipts is vital.

Is there a full list of all the cancellations at Luton?

Here is a list of all the cancelled departures and arrivals at Luton Airport today: