German skies in disarray: Extreme cold leads to travel turmoil

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Severe winter weather in Germany causes flight delays and cancellations on Jan 17-18, affecting Frankfurt, Munich, and other airports travel turmoil.

Flight disruptions have been announced for January 17 and 18 due to severe weather in Germany. The country is experiencing harsh winter conditions, leading to a significant number of flight cancellations and delays.

German airports are experiencing major interruptions as a result of the intense cold, which poses risks for both aircraft on the ground and in flight. A large number of flights were postponed or called off on Wednesday, and similar issues are expected to persist on Thursday, January 18.

Passengers are encouraged to verify their flight status before going to the airport. German airports are facing difficulties due to the harsh weather conditions. People planning to depart from German airports on January 18 and the following days should be prepared for potential travel disruptions.

The German Meteorological Service has issued alerts for substantial snowfall across the nation, with some regions anticipating up to 30 centimeters of snow within the next 24 hours. Pilots are facing challenging conditions due to the low temperatures.

Frankfurt airport is particularly affected, with warnings of significant flight delays and cancellations. On Wednesday, more than half of the scheduled flights were canceled, and a considerable number of Thursday’s flights are also grounded.

Despite efforts to de-ice planes, they remain at risk of icing again during taxiing, according to airport authorities. Frankfurt airport has already experienced considerable disruptions on January 17, and similar conditions are expected for January 18, as stated by a spokesperson.

Passengers whose flights are canceled are advised not to travel to the airport. Munich airport is also experiencing significant cancellations, with over 250 flights grounded.

Other German airports, including Saarbruecken, Dusseldorf, and Cologne/Bonn, have also been impacted by delays and cancellations. In some regions, the German Weather Service has raised the weather warning level to ‘extreme severe.’

At Frankfurt airport, there are additional concerns about black ice on runways, which decreases aircraft traction and increases the risk of accidents. Pilots are also facing challenges due to freezing rain, which can cause ice accumulation on aircraft wings, affecting flight stability.

Lufthansa, which operates primarily from Frankfurt and Munich airports, is expected to face the most significant disruptions. The airline advises global passengers to check flight statuses on their website or the airport’s website and to avoid going to the airport if their flight is canceled.

In December, Munich airport had to shut down for several days because of snowy conditions, and one aircraft tipped backwards due to snow accumulation on its fuselage.

The cold weather is also affecting German rail services. Deutsche Bahn, the national rail operator, has announced delays and cancellations for some long-distance trains and has reduced the maximum speed of its high-speed ICE trains to 200 km/h as a safety measure. The company expects more service disruptions on Thursday due to the ongoing extreme weather conditions.

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