IN PLANE SIGHT
Big Jet TV: Storm Eunice causes chaos as hundreds of THOUSANDS watch planes battling to land at Heathrow in 122mph winds
HUNDREDS of thousands of people are watching live as planes battle to land at Heathrow Airport as Storm Eunice whips up wild winds of up to 122mph.
The storm - pegged to be one of the worst in decades - has already caused widespread disruption across the UK with dozens of flights cancelled.
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The tempest is set to be the worst for more than 30 years, with scientists warning it will involve rare gusts last seen during the Great Storm of 1987.
Storm Eunice has already downed power lines, uprooted trees and closed schools on its path of destruction, and there is more to come.
The severe conditions sparked two rare red weather warnings and orders to stay at home.
The Met Office also issued a "danger to life" warning, with "flying debris" expected.
And more than 200,000 people have tuned in to watch a nerve-racking live stream from Big Jet TV of planes landing in the rampaging winds at Heathrow Airport.
Dozens of pilots have been forced to abort landings in the treacherous conditions and do a go-around - when they head back up into the sky and make another attempt to land safely.
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Planes are also struggling to land at other airports across the UK.
Viewers have been praising the brave pilots for safely landing the jets in the wild winds.
Jerry Dyer, from popular aviation channel Big Jet TV, which is streaming footage of landings at Heathrow airport, told BBC Radio 2: "This is the best scenario you could possibly imagine - big kudos to the pilots and the crews working at the airports, this is the most exciting stuff you could possibly get.
"Right now, these conditions with 70mph gusting winds, it's pretty intense.
"And what is great is you get to see the skill of the pilot and how they manage to handle it."
🔵 Read our Storm Eunice travel live blog for the latest updates
Airports across the UK have been issuing warnings to passengers to check their flights and to arrive early if they are going ahead.
London City Airport has cancelled all flights until 4.30pm, while a large number of flights have been cancelled at London Heathrow.
At Heathrow at least 65 flights - both departures and arrivals - were cancelled and a further 114 were delayed by more than 15 minutes, according to aviation data provider FlightStats by Cirium.
Heathrow urged passengers to keep up to date with the latest information as “high winds and poor weather can cause last-minute delays”.
British Airways said on Twitter: "The arrival flow rate at London Heathrow is being reduced due to gale force winds.
"If you want to change your flight, send us a DM with more information and we'll be happy to take a look at this for you."
The airline said in a statement: "Due to the extreme weather conditions across the UK and resulting restrictions on the number of aircraft that can take-off and land each hour, we, like other airlines, are experiencing significant disruption.
"We're operating as many flights as we can and putting on larger aircraft where possible. Customers due to travel on a short-haul service today can rebook for free on ba.com. Those whose flights have been cancelled are being contacted to offer options including a full refund.
"Safety is always our priority and we're encouraging customers to check the latest flight information on ba.com before heading to the airport."
EasyJet has also been forced to cancel a number of flights from Gatwick and Bristol Airport.
Gatwick Airport tweeted: "Weather Warning. Be advised that due to storm Eunice, there is the possibility for disruption to flights, and the shuttle service to North terminal on Friday, between approximately 10am and 4pm.
"Please arrive earlier if you are flying from Gatwick."
A spokesperson for East Midlands said: "When strong winds are forecast it is less about the strength of the wind and more about the direction.
"With strong winds forecast in the coming days, we advise that passengers contact their airlines if they have concerns about a flight."
Elsewhere, power lines have been torn down and roofs blown off, with thousands hit by power outages.
More than 55,000 homes, farms and businesses woke up to no power in Ireland this morning, and more disruption is anticipated later today.
Gusts reached 92mph on the Isle of Wight this morning, with wind speeds later hitting a staggering 122mph - the third highest on record in the UK, smashing the 118mph in 1979.
It is also provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England, the Met Office said.
Forecasters initially issued amber warnings for wind, but these were today upgraded to red following the destruction caused by Storm Dudley on Wednesday.
Now, soldiers are bracing for deployment in hardest hit regions, and Brits have been told to travel only if "absolutely necessary" and to work from home where possible.
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The two red warnings for wind are in force for southern England - one covering the south east from Ipswich to Portsmouth, including London, and the other stretching from Cardiff down to the furthest tip of Cornwall.
It is the first time such a warning has been issued in the capital, sparking Sadiq Khan to urge Brits to batten down the hatches and stay inside.
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