Trains, planes and automobiles: Emergency Weather Travel Advice from EssentialTravel.co.uk

This isn't usual blog territory but needs must and all that - my colleague Jennie has put together some information on how to cope if you're stuck at the airport because of the snow. And here it is:

EMERGENCY WEATHER CONDITIONS: ADVICE FROM ESSENTIALTRAVEL.CO.UK

The heavy snowfall is causing major delays to airports across the country - London City and Luton airports are all closed, BA has cancelled 65 flights, Ryanair has grounded 73, all short-haul flights from Heathrow are cancelled and all long-haul flights delayed until at least 5pm.

"The adverse weather conditions have already caused severe disruption to travellers and their journeys", says Stuart Bensusan, Insurance Director at EssentialTravel.co.uk, "And over the next 36 hours that situation only looks set to get worse."

EssentialTravel.co.uk urges that anyone booked to fly over the next two days should contact their airline or travel agent to check the status of their flight.

"Any travellers whose flight is cancelled or delayed more than 24 hours should be fully protected by their travel insurance" advises Stuart Bensusan, "any reputable policy should include provisions for both flight delay and cancellation."

EssentialTravel.co.uk warns that any travellers expecting to fly over the next couple of days, should expect long airport delays and take the following precautions:

• Phone the airline or check their website before you set off to the airport
• Make sure you have all important phone numbers - such as your hotel and car hire company - in your phone, so that you can advise them of any delay
• Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged and you take the cable in case you need to charge it en route
• Check the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy: booking yourself into a five-star hotel to wait out the delay, only to find you're not entitled to that money back, quickly turns a bad situation worse
• Take snacks to the airport, to save forking out for airport food. If you find yourself delayed for more than a couple of hours you may be entitled to a food voucher from the airline - check at the flight desk (or ring your insurance help line to check your rights)
• Think about buying an airport lounge pass: if you're in for a long delay, you'll be thankful
• If you're travelling with children be sure to carry something (or several somethings) to keep them amused: colouring books or handheld games consoles. Also, tie a brightly coloured scarf on their jacket and put a card in their pocket with your mobile phone number on in case they wander off and get lost
• Take something to keep yourself amused too: upload a film onto your iPod, or Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on your mobile phone using the BBC iPlayer function

There's more of the same at the EssentialTravel.co.uk Magazine - Essential Travel Tips - How to survive an airport delay And to everybody else thinking about travelling - the short answer is don't if you don't have to. And if you're lucky enough to be staying at home - I hope you're safe and warm and out of the snow.