Snowfall, storms affect hundreds of flights throughout Europe

(MENAFN) Air travel across Europe has been heavily disrupted this week as snowstorms and strong winds forced hundreds of cancellations and delays at major airports. The wintry conditions, which began earlier in the week, continue to affect operations and passenger schedules.

Data compiled from flight tracking services shows Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport experiencing the worst impact. By mid-afternoon Wednesday, around 60% of departing flights—349 in total—had been canceled, while another 114 were delayed. On the arrivals side, 336 flights were canceled and 77 delayed, bringing the total number of cancellations at Schiphol to nearly 700 in a single day.

Paris Charles de Gaulle also faced significant disruption, with 72 departures canceled and more than 300 delayed. Arrivals were similarly affected, with 73 cancellations and 200 delays.

London Heathrow reported 22 canceled departures and 23 canceled arrivals, alongside hundreds of delays.

Brussels Airport canceled 39 flights, including 22 departures and 17 arrivals, while 155 flights were delayed.

Zurich Airport saw 23 cancellations, Munich reported 16 canceled flights, Madrid Barajas International had 26 cancellations, and Frankfurt recorded 13 cancellations. Each of these airports also reported hundreds of delays as crews struggled with snow and ice.

Officials at several airports warned that further delays were likely as crews worked to de-ice aircraft and clear runways and taxiways of snow and ice. Passengers were urged to monitor flight status updates closely and arrive early to manage potential disruptions.

Despite the widespread chaos, Istanbul Airport—Europe’s busiest hub with an average of 1,444 daily flights—reported no problems with departures. Only four arriving flights were canceled, making it one of the few major airports to remain largely unaffected.

MENAFN08012026000045017640ID1110571602