A BRITISH Airways IT issue is causing flight cancellations at Gatwick and other London airports. 

Passengers have been advised to check their flight times before travel, and allow more time going through security at the airport. 

Staff are having to check-in passengers manually which has led to long waiting times. 

A British Airways spokesman said: "We are very sorry to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans. 

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"We are working as quickly as possible to resolve a systems issue which has resulted in some short-haul cancellations and delays from London airports. 

"A number of flights continue to operate but we are advising customers to check ba.com for the latest flight information before coming to the airport, and to le​ave additional time. 

"We are offering customers booked on short-haul services departing from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City today, the opportunity to rebook to another day."

A Gatwick spokeswoman said: "British Airways is experiencing systems problems this morning which are affecting check-in and flight departures. If flying with BA, passengers should check their flight status before travelling to the airport and leave extra time.”