Multiple flights grounded due to snowfall and black ice in Germany
Air travel in Germany hit a snag over the weekend, with a whole bunch of flights getting grounded due to a potent mix of operational mishaps and unpleasant weather. Here's the lowdown on this chaotic situation.
At the airport nestled in the country's west, around 120 out of 1,990 flights met an unfortunate fate, with a spokesperson spilling the beans to AFP that clear runways and de-icing planes were a must. The spokesperson cooly added that the snowy chaos also added complexity to the de-icing process.
Germany's second-largest airport in Munich wasn't off the hook either. A whopping 35 flights were called off late on a Saturday evening, out of a grand total of 750 planned take-offs and landings. The weather was indeed the main culprit here, too.
The turbulence began on a Friday evening at Berlin-Brandenburg airport, with icy conditions causing a ruckus of around 30 flight disruptions.
Come Sunday, the meteorological office painted a bleak picture, warning of freezing rain and recommending passengers to think twice about their travel plans. Snowfall through the night had blanketed the landscape, and the freezing rain that ensued was just adding fuel to the fire.
It's worth noting that this wasn't a one-off event. Over 450 flights across several European airports experienced delays or cancellations as a result of both operational troubles and unfavorable weather conditions, affecting major airlines such as Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, and British Airways[1].
The weather was a key player in this chaos, acting as a spoilsport by making it tough for planes to take off and land[3]. Needless to say, when it's icy outside, getting your flight on schedule becomes a real challenge. So next time you find yourself staring at a delayed or cancelled flight status, just remember: Mother Nature's not messing around!
[1] - Enrichment Data: Source: CNN Travel, March 26, 2023: "European flights disrupted by severe weather and mechanical issues", link
[2] - Enrichment Data: Source: ABC News, March 26, 2023: "United Airlines flight from Houston to Japan landed in Alaska after engine trouble", link
[3] - Enrichment Data: Source: Reuters, March 8, 2022: "Analysts say delays at European airports left unchecked could worsen", link
[4] - Enrichment Data: Source: The Indian Express, January 21, 2023: "Lufthansa flight returned to Germany after bomb threat", link
Unpleasant weather was a significant contributing factor to the flight disruptions experienced at several airports in Germany over the weekend, as seen at the airport in western Germany where approximately 120 flights were cancelled due to snowy conditions. The weather also played a key role in the cancellation of 35 flights at Munich Airport on a Saturday evening.
