Passengers at some of the country’s busiest airports, including Gatwick and Manchester, are facing widespread disruption due to fog.

The UK’s main air traffic control provider, Nats, said the flow of flights had been reduced for safety reasons.

“Due to widespread fog, temporary air traffic restrictions are in place at several airports across the UK today,” Nats said.

Dozens of flights from Heathrow were also delayed or cancelled but a spokeswoman for the airport, contacted by the BBC, did not explain whether the disruption was due to the weather.

“Restrictions of this sort are only ever applied to maintain safety,” Nats said, adding staff were working “closely with the airports and airlines to minimise disruption”.

Passengers should check the position of their flight with their airline and airport, Nats added.

Data from flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed dozens of outbound flights were cancelled from airports across the UK, while hundreds more were delayed.

Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff were among the airports where flights were delayed or cancelled.

Inbound flights were also affected, Flightradar24 data showed.

Irem, 36, had her flight from Germany to the UK delayed by nearly seven hours due to fog at Manchester Airport.

“We’ve started boarding [at Cologne Airport] but are crammed into a space where we’re waiting for the bus. We’ve been standing for about an hour, it’s just been a bit of a nightmare,” she told the BBC.

“I am from Cologne so we spent few days here over Christmas with my household. We are about to have a delayed Christmas and recent Year with my husband’s household in North Wales.

“That will be delayed slightly, but I suppose we’re lucky we’re still going to view them tomorrow.”

National Highways, which runs the UK’s motorways and busiest A-roads, said the misty weather was not having a significant impact on its network.

It reminded motorists to use dipped headlights, wipers and demisters while driving in foggy conditions.

The persistent low cloud, mist and fog has been trapped in place by a leisurely-moving area of high pressure.

Over the weekend that high will drift away, allowing the breeze to strengthen. This will turn over the stagnant air and commence to lift the fog.

Saturday will commence with widespread low cloud, mist and fog – especially in England and Wales. Some of that is expected to gradually obvious during the day, particularly by the afternoon, and a few spells of sunshine are feasible.

By Sunday conditions look significantly clearer with sunny spells across much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. At the same period heavy rain will set in across the north and west of Scotland but stronger winds cruel that fog will not be a significant concern.