Flights Cancelled Throughout Europe As Manchester, London, and More Face 199 Cancellations and 2,464 Delays, Disrupting Travel

Back-to-back storm systems are sweeping across Europe, triggering 2,464 delays and 199 flight cancellations across 15 key airports. Operations in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Ireland, and Türkiye have all experienced significant bottlenecks.
The disruptions are heavily concentrated in Northwestern Europe after Storm Austen (also referred to as Storm Austin) battered the Netherlands and the UK, immediately followed by Storm Boelo, which is bringing further wet and windy conditions across large parts of Britain.
Amsterdam Schiphol and London Heathrow have recorded the highest cancellation volumes, while easyJet, KLM, and British Airways lead the continent in delayed services.

Worst-Hit European Airports Today

Amsterdam Schiphol topped both delay and cancellation charts among the affected hubs, followed closely by major connecting gateways in Frankfurt, Paris, and London.

Alongside the nine major hubs above, flight disruptions also affected operations at Birmingham, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast City, and Aberdeen (Dyce) in the UK, as well as Nice Côte d’Azur in France.

Schiphol recorded a 41% arrival delay rate and an 18% departure delay rate, while Frankfurt reported 26% for arrivals and 23% for departures. Heathrow recorded a 24% arrival delay rate and a 16% departure delay rate. At Charles de Gaulle, arrival delays stood at 21% and departure delays at 25%, while Manchester recorded a 21% arrival delay rate and a 37% departure delay rate.

Airline Disruption Breakdown

While easyJet recorded the highest overall volume of delayed flights, Dutch flag carrier KLM registered the highest total number of cancellations. Regional carrier Emerald Airlines experienced the steepest proportional impact, cancelling 17% of its scheduled flights.

Why Flights Are Delayed and Cancelled: Storms Austen and Boelo

Severe autumn weather is the primary driver behind the current wave of schedule changes in Western Europe:

• Storm Austen Hits the Netherlands: Dutch flag carrier KLM cancelled dozens of flights scheduled across October 23 and 24 after Storm Austin swept through the Netherlands, severely restricting runway capacity at its Amsterdam Schiphol hub.
• Storm Boelo batters the UK: Just a day after Storm Austen disrupted British transport networks, Storm Boelo has brought a fresh wave of wet and windy weather across large parts of the UK. The consecutive weather fronts have strained operations at Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh, and regional British airports.
• Cascading Operational Bottlenecks: Beyond immediate weather holds, high-traffic hubs face compounding delays from air traffic control restrictions, congestion during peak departure windows, crew scheduling limits, aircraft availability, and routine maintenance checks. When aircraft are held on the ground in Amsterdam or London, knock-on delays cascade across connecting routes throughout Europe.

What Passengers Should Do If Their Flight Is Affected

Travellers scheduled to fly through any of the affected European airports should take the following steps before heading to the terminal:

• Check live flight status: Verify your latest departure time directly on your airline’s official website or mobile app before leaving for the airport.
• Enable instant alerts: Turn on push notifications in your airline app to receive real-time updates on gate changes, rolling delays, or cancellations.
• Act quickly on cancellations: If your flight is cancelled, contact your airline immediately to arrange rebooking, alternative routing, or a refund.
• Protect onward connections: If a delay threatens a connecting flight on your itinerary, notify the operating carriers as early as possible to secure revised travel arrangements.
• Save all travel documents and receipts: Retain your booking confirmations, boarding passes, and itemised receipts for any food, transport, or accommodation expenses incurred during the disruption.
• Check your passenger rights: Review the compensation and duty-of-care rules applicable to your specific route and operating carrier.

Flight cancellations and delays were also reported across Europe yesterday. Read our previous coverage here.

The figures in this report were gathered and reviewed using real-time records dated October 24, 2026, at 12:17 pm ET (4:17 pm GMT).

Primary source: FlightAware.

Verification Process: The editorial team reviewed and cross-checked the figures for accuracy. Timestamped records, flight-tracking logs and data-feed snapshots have been preserved for reference and editorial transparency.

Note: Flight-tracking figures can change as airspace conditions and airline operations evolve. Small discrepancies may occur when these figures are compared with subsequent updates from airports or airlines.

Passengers are encouraged to check their flight status, monitor schedule updates and consult the latest operational information provided by their airlines before travelling.

Verified by Paramita Sarkar