Emirates has warned its First and Business Class passengers departing or arriving at one of its London airports over the next few days that its complimentary chauffeur drive services might be affected by Queen Elizabeth II’s full state funeral processions, as well as other commemorative events taking place in Central London and surrounding areas.
Transport for London has cautioned that London will be very busy during the period of national mourning and says major road closures could lead to long tailbacks throughout the area.
To make matters worse, world leaders are expected to descend upon Heathrow Airport over the next few days ahead of Her Majesty’s funeral on Monday, 15th September. As a result, roads around the West London airport are also expected to be very congested and subject to last-minute road closures.
In a statement, Emirates tells its First and Business Class passengers that chauffeur drive pick‑up locations or timings might be changed at short notice and has advised all passengers to allow extra time to get to the airport.
On Wednesday, Heathrow Airport cancelled a slew of flights so that it could reroute aircraft away from Central London in order to ensure the skies remained silent for the procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall where she is lying in state.
The airport has warned that further disruption is expected during the funeral on Monday so that a nationwide minute’s silence can be observed without the sound of planes flying overhead.
Heathrow has also confirmed that all non-essential shops will be shuttered on Monday as a mark of respect.
Emirates is one of only a small number of airlines that still offers chauffeur-driven cars for premium passengers, including BMW 520i Touring cars at its Dubai hub. The airline suspended its chauffeur drive service at the start of the pandemic but resumed the service in June 2020.
