Hotel prices surge by up to £946 as furious travellers hit out at firms for ‘profiting off people’s misfortune’ amid Heathrow Airport meltdown

Hotel prices have surged by up to £946 after Heathrow Airport was forced to close after an electrical substation fire. 

Furious travellers have hit out at hospitality firms for ‘profiting off people’s misfortune’ as costs skyrocketed on Friday. 

One hotel close to the airport, North Avenue Guest House, was tonight charging £1,000 for a standard room for two people, compared to £54 next Friday.

While it will cost you £555 to stay at Radisson Red London Heathrow tonight, compared to £132 next Friday, according to prices on Booking.com. 

Holiday Inn London Heathrow is charging £569 for standard room tonight but just £89 on March 28.

The costs of flights in and out of London has also surged in wake of the shutdown at Heathrow today.  

It comes as one angry passenger accused hotels of hiking their prices to ‘absolutely absurd’ levels.

According to Google Flights, prices to destinations such as New York, Edinburgh and Dublin are all well above their usual levels. 

One hotel close to the airport, North Avenue Guest House, was tonight charging £1,000 for a standard room for two people, compared to £54 next Friday

Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 where prices tonight at are more than three times the cost next week

A ticket to New York is currently being listed at around £2,100, compared cheaper options of £250 to £500. 

Whereas prices for flights to Edinburgh are also ‘high’ with the average sitting £158 on Friday lunchtime, compared to lows of £14 to £25. 

Louis, a video producer, was due to fly home to to Dublin with Aer Lingus just before 9am on Friday.

But said his flight was cancelled following the London Heathrow closure affecting more than 1,300 flights.

The 28-year-old stayed the night at a hotel just ‘500 metres from Terminals 2 and 3’, but was forced to book a new room at a different hotel over fears his rescheduled flight for Saturday could be cancelled again, and has accused nearby hotels of increasing its prices amid the disruption.

‘They’ve actually doubled, if not, in some cases, tripled the prices of the rooms based on what’s going on, which is absolutely absurd. They’re profiting off of people’s misfortunes in this. I don’t know how that’s allowed,’ Louis told the PA news agency.

He said his original room cost around £90, but claimed he saw the same room on the hotel comparison site Booking.com for £280.

‘It’s frustrating, but it’s just beyond control,’ he said.

Pictured: Best Western London Heathrow Ariel Hotel where prices are tonight £445 compared to £64 next Friday 

Staybridge Suites London Heathrow is tonight charging £599 compared to £98 next Friday