A statement on Heathrow’s website titled “Changes at the airport” said: “On Wednesday 14th September, some flights between 13:50-15:40 will be disrupted to ensure silence over central London as the ceremonial procession moves Passengers affected by this will be contacted by their airline.”

British Airways has now confirmed that 16 short-haul flights are being cancelled today due to the airspace restriction.

A typical flight path for aircraft landing at Heathrow crosses London just south of the centre, which would produce a significant amount of noise in the area where the funeral procession will take place.

Is your flight cancelled?

According to departures shown on the Heathrow Airport website, the following BA flights due to depart from Heathrow today are cancelled:

• BA850 at 13.55 to Warsaw
• BA796 at 14.30 to Stockholm
• BA4321 at 14.35 to Amsterdam
• BA942 at 15.10 to Dusseldorf
• BA754 at 15.30 to Basel
• BA550 at 15.30 to Faro
• BA966 at 15.35 to Hamburg
• BA554 at 15.40 to Rome

The Queen’s coffin will begin its journey at 2.22pm today from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry will walk behind the coffin for its mile-long journey. The late Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall until the funeral on Monday.

Further disruption

Heathrow Airport also said there will be “further changes” at the airport during the period of national mourning.

These include observing the National Moment of Reflection with a one-minute silence at 8pm on Sunday 18 September.

More flights are likely to be axed during the Queen’s funeral on Monday so that the skies are silent.

What are your rights if your flight is cancelled?

If an airline cancels your flight it must offer to rebook you on any reasonable route that gets you to your destination as close to your arrival time as possible – even if it’s with a different airline.

The airline must also keep you informed of your rights to assistance and compensation you may be entitled to depending on the level of disruption you’ve encountered.

Alternatively, you can get a full refund for your flight.

This year has proved chaotic for British holidaymakers, with both Heathrow and Gatwick forced to restrict passenger numbers amid chaos caused by cancelled flights and staff shortages.