British Airways has grounded dozens of flights amid Storm Pia, affecting those starting their Christmas getaway.
The airline grounded two dozen domestic and European flights to and from London Heathrow, including multiple links to and from Amsterdam.
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow were also among the routes experiencing cancellations.
A British Airways spokesperson said: “Due to the high winds forecast as part of Storm Pia, we have made some adjustments to our schedule with as much notice as possible for our customers.
“We have apologised for the disruption to their travel plans and our teams are working hard to get their journeys back on track as quickly as possible.”
Winds of more than 80mph battered the northern half parts of the UK, with gusts of 81mph recorded at Brizlee Wood, near Alnwick, Northumberland.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for wind, stretching north from Birmingham to the Shetland Islands and including Northern Ireland, remaining in place until 3pm on Thursday.
That had been brought forward from 9pm as the Met Office said the worst of the wind was expected to be in the morning, with conditions slowly easing.
The yellow warning means journeys could be disrupted, there was the potential for power cuts and coastal routes could be affected by waves or spray.
One man was taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening after a tree fell on to his car on the A515 in Clifton, Derbyshire.
It comes as millions begin heading to airports to catch flights to spend Christmas overseas, with Friday expected to be the busiest day for departures over the festive period.
Storm Pia has also caused disruption on rail services across Britain as fallen trees and other debris damage overhead power lines and block tracks.
TransPennine Express “strongly” urged its customers not to travel on services to and from Edinburgh before mid-afternoon amid strong winds.
Issuing “do not travel” advice, TransPennine Express (TPE) asked customers to delay their journeys in and out of the Scottish capital until after 3pm, as parts of the UK brace for high winds.
Meanwhile, at Euston station, Avanti West Coast services were affected until early afternoon due to a bag on the overhead wires.
A yellow weather warning for wind came into effect at midnight and will last until 3pm, which was brought forward from 9pm. The Met Office said the worst of the wind was expected to be in the morning, with conditions slowly easing.
⚠️Do not travel on services to and from Edinburgh on Thursday 21 December.
— TransPennine Express (@TPExpressTrains) December 20, 2023
There is a yellow weather warning in place for Thursday 21 December, with strong winds expected in Scotland and England.
For more information, please visit https://t.co/1nC00dMPAD
The warning also covers Belfast, Newcastle upon Tyne and Manchester.
People on social media reported their sleep had been disturbed by Storm Pia, not officially named by the Met Office, but given named status by the Danish authorities where it was expected to have an even greater impact than in the UK.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned people on the roads to be aware of the potential for falling trees and debris.
A statement said: “Road users are advised of potential traffic disruption this morning, Thursday 21st December, caused by fallen trees and debris in some areas across Northern Ireland.
“Officers have been assisting with traffic control whilst local roads are being cleared of any obstructions, and we thank you for your patience as we continue to do so.”
Schools in Shetland will be closed on Thursday and more electricity network engineers are being brought in to deal with any power cuts.
Ferry services across the west coast of Scotland are expected to be disrupted, CalMac said.
TPE said there will be speed restrictions in place from the early hours for trains running to and from Edinburgh and that it will not run services between the city and north-west England until Thursday afternoon.
Kathryn O’Brien, customer experience and operations director for TPE, said: “Our number one priority is to keep our customers and colleagues safe, and we will be doing all we can to keep people moving in difficult conditions.
“We are urging anyone travelling across the affected routes to plan ahead, allow extra time, check their journey up until the last minute, and follow the guidance provided.”
Elsewhere on the trains, Network Rail said many services will only run once safety inspections have taken place, leading to some cancellations.
The West Highland line, Kyle of Lochalsh line, and the Far North line, along with Inverness-Inverurie services, will all be subject to inspections before trains can run, and speed restrictions will also be in place in the central belt and the south of Scotland.
Travellers have been warned of “short notice changes to journeys” on ScotRail services and are advised to check ahead, while additional engineers will be deployed to deal with any incidents.
Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesman, said while the winds will ease through the day, it will remain breezy.
As conditions improve in the UK, the storm will pass over into northern Europe, bringing strong winds to Denmark, northern Germany and Poland, he said.
Further weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for Shetland and northern Scotland from Friday and into the weekend, with accumulations of 10-15cm on higher ground possible in the Highlands, before milder air brings rain on Saturday.
Scotland and northern England will also be hit by persistent rain and showers following Storm Pia.
Looking ahead to Christmas Day, there could be a "technical" White Christmas, with a "small chance" of snow falling on higher ground in Scotland.
But Mr Claydon said: "This won't be picture postcard snowy scenes."
