Passengers across Europe are continuing to face long queues, missed connections and rolling cancellations at major hubs including Manchester and Paris Charles de Gaulle, as aviation networks work through the lingering effects of this week’s severe winter weather and capacity restrictions triggered by Storm Goretti.

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Storm Goretti’s Aftermath Keeps Pressure on European Hubs

In the days surrounding January 7 to 9, 2026, a powerful winter system labelled Storm Goretti swept across the United Kingdom, France, the Low Countries and parts of Germany, bringing heavy snow, fierce winds and sub-zero temperatures.

While runways have largely reopened, the shock to the system is still visible in delayed rotations, displaced aircraft and off-schedule crews at several of Europe’s busiest airports.

Paris Charles de Gaulle, one of the main gateways for transatlantic and long-haul traffic, saw around 100 flights cancelled on January 7 because of snowfall and intense cold, with a further 40 cancellations at nearby Orly, according to French officials.

Even as French authorities expressed hope that operations would normalise later that day, airline planners warned that the knock-on effects would cascade into subsequent rotations, particularly on short-haul European routes that rely on tight turnarounds and high aircraft utilisation.

In the United Kingdom, Manchester Airport experienced runway closures and temporary suspensions as crews worked to clear significant snowfall and treat surfaces for ice.

The airport reported a reopening of both runways on the morning of January 6, but acknowledged that “some departures and arrivals may still experience delays” after the closure forced cancellations and a backlog of aircraft and passengers.

Similar weather patterns and operational challenges have been reported at other regional UK hubs, adding to the strain on airline schedules that feed into major European transfer points.

Across the wider network, the storm arrived on top of an already intense early January cold snap, compounding existing challenges.

Ground handling teams, air traffic controllers and airline operations centres have been forced into continuous recovery mode, carefully balancing safety-critical decisions on de-icing and runway friction with pressure from carriers and passengers to restore normal frequencies.

Manchester Airport: Runways Reopen but Schedules Lag Behind

Manchester, one of Britain’s busiest airports and a key northern gateway, offers a clear illustration of how quickly winter weather can upend operations and how slowly the resulting disruption can unwind.

Heavy overnight snowfall earlier in the week prompted the airport to close both of its runways shortly after dawn, halting departures and diverting or delaying incoming flights while snowploughs and de-icing crews moved into action.

By 7:15 a.m. local time on January 6, airport authorities confirmed that both runways had reopened. Photos and television footage showed teams using tractors and specialist vehicles to clear snow banks around aircraft and stands, as well as to maintain safe taxiway conditions.

Despite these efforts, dozens of flights to European destinations were cancelled and a number of long-haul services departed several hours behind schedule, with aircraft and crew out of position for subsequent legs.

The closure at Manchester rippled into the wider network, especially on routes linking the north of England with continental hubs. Passengers heading for onward connections in Paris, Amsterdam and other major European airports found themselves rebooked on later departures or rerouted via alternate gateways, a process complicated by simultaneous weather disturbances across the continent.

Even after the immediate weather threat eased, residual delays continued as airlines attempted to re-thread aircraft and crews back into their normal rotations.

Because many carriers operate Manchester as both an origin-destination airport and a feeder to their alliance partners’ hubs, any shortfall in punctuality in the northwest of England could be felt hours later at congested transfer points in France, the Netherlands and Germany.

Charles de Gaulle Grapples With Cancellations and Network Knock-ons

Charles de Gaulle Airport, serving the Paris region, has been one of the highest-profile flashpoints of Europe’s winter aviation disruption.

The combination of snowfall and deep cold on January 7 forced the cancellation of around 100 flights at Charles de Gaulle and 40 at Orly, affecting a mix of domestic services, intra-European routes and long-haul departures.

Airport and government officials noted that some of these cancellations were pre-emptive, designed to reduce traffic volumes and give ground and air traffic teams more room to maintain safety during low-visibility and icy conditions.

A number of airlines operating at Charles de Gaulle have since warned that, even as weather conditions improve, schedules may not immediately return to normal.

Aircraft that were unable to reach their planned overnight bases are now starting their days from alternate airports, disrupting tightly choreographed rotation plans.

Crews have logged extended duty hours managing previous delays, triggering mandatory rest periods that leave some flights temporarily without available pilots or cabin staff.

For connecting passengers, this has translated into longer minimum connection times and an uptick in missed onward flights.

Reports from terminals over the past 48 hours describe long lines at rebooking counters and busy customer service desks as travelers seek alternative routings to North America, Africa and Asia.

In some cases, airlines have issued travel waivers allowing passengers to change dates or routes without typical penalties, but seats on replacement flights are limited during the busy return-from-holidays period.

Operational planners at Charles de Gaulle are also contending with the wider network picture. With Amsterdam Schiphol experiencing hundreds of cancellations in parallel due to similar snow and de-icing problems, and German airports dealing with their own winter issues, there are fewer nearby hubs to absorb diverted or re-routed traffic, leaving Paris with less flexibility than in a more localised weather event.

Amsterdam and De-icing Shortages Expose Network Vulnerabilities

Although Manchester and Charles de Gaulle have drawn particular attention, Amsterdam Schiphol has arguably suffered the most sustained impact from the early January weather pattern.

Over several days, Schiphol recorded hundreds of cancellations, with some tallies exceeding 600 flights scrapped in a 24-hour period as snow covered runways and poor visibility limited arrivals and departures.

Thousands of passengers were forced to spend nights in the terminal, with camp beds set up as airlines and airport authorities struggled to accommodate stranded travelers.

Complicating the situation at Schiphol was an emerging shortage of de-icing fluid, the critical chemical mix used to remove ice and snow from aircraft surfaces and prevent renewed accumulation before takeoff.

KLM and other carriers reported supply constraints linked to a combination of high demand during multiple consecutive days of snow and delays in deliveries from manufacturers in Germany and elsewhere.

With safety protocols requiring adequate de-icing before flight, airlines were compelled to cancel additional services rather than compromise standards.

This de-icing bottleneck has had repercussions for passengers connecting through Manchester and Charles de Gaulle as well. Many flights from regional UK and French airports feed into Amsterdam as a major transfer point for intercontinental journeys.

When large numbers of these services were cancelled or heavily delayed, it amplified disruption not only at Schiphol but across the partner networks that depend on it as a central hub.

Aviation analysts note that de-icing supply issues highlight a structural vulnerability in the European system.

While airports conduct annual winter readiness drills and stock up on chemicals in advance, prolonged or geographically widespread storms can test those reserves.

When multiple airports across a region experience heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures at the same time, suppliers may struggle to replenish inventories quickly enough, and the effects can persist even after skies clear.

Network Management, Safety Protocols and the Pace of Recovery

At the continental level, Eurocontrol, the organisation that coordinates European air traffic management, has been working with national providers and airports to manage the impact of adverse weather on capacity.

Winter storms and persistent cold conditions typically reduce the number of takeoffs and landings that can be safely handled per hour at affected airports, due to the time required for runway clearing, aircraft de-icing and increased separation between flights in low-visibility conditions.

To avoid unsafe congestion, Eurocontrol and national air navigation service providers use a range of air traffic flow management tools, including slot restrictions and regulated arrival rates.

While these measures sometimes attract criticism from passengers and airlines eager to move, they are central to preventing more severe problems such as runway incursions, taxiway blockages and airborne holding patterns that burn extra fuel and increase emissions.

In the present episode, safety-focused restrictions have contributed to longer-than-usual taxi times and ground delays at hubs such as Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam, and to a lesser extent at Manchester when snow was most intense.

Airports must also consider the welfare of ground staff working in extreme conditions, rotating crews more frequently to prevent cold-related injuries and fatigue, which can further slow operations.

Recovery from such a complex event rarely follows a straight line. Even once primary runways are clear and visibility improves, secondary infrastructure including remote stands, taxiway intersections and access roads may remain partially obstructed.

Cargo operations, catering services and baggage handling can all lag behind, creating localised bottlenecks that delay aircraft pushback and turnarounds.

Airlines and airports across Europe are currently engaged in a delicate balancing act between restoring punctuality and preserving the safety margins that regulators require.

Passenger Experience: Long Queues, Overnight Stays and Shifting Plans

For passengers, the visible face of this technical and logistical drama has been long queues at check-in and security, crowded departure halls and, for some, unexpected overnight stays at airport hotels or on camp beds in terminal corridors.

Reports from Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam over the past week describe families sleeping on benches, business travelers working from improvised laptop stations and long-haul passengers queuing for hours to rebook missed connections.

Airlines have been issuing waivers and advisories, urging travelers to check flight status and, where possible, to postpone non-essential journeys.

Some carriers have relaxed rebooking rules on routes most affected by the weather, while others have focused on protecting long-haul departures by trimming shorter regional sectors.

Travel agents and online booking platforms have experienced a surge in customer contact as people look for alternative routings, sometimes splitting itineraries between different alliances to secure a way home.

At Charles de Gaulle, ground teams have had to manage both the immediate disruption and the knock-on effect on baggage and transfer flows. Passengers arriving late from Manchester or other UK cities frequently find that their bags have missed tight connections, leading to delayed baggage delivery even when seats can be found on later flights.

Similar stories are emerging from Amsterdam, where luggage halls have been under strain as bags from cancelled flights are sorted, stored and eventually forwarded.

Consumer groups are reminding travelers of their rights under European air passenger regulations, which entitle them to care and, in some cases, compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled.

However, in events clearly attributable to extraordinary weather, compensation obligations may be limited, leaving many passengers reliant on travel insurance policies and the goodwill of carriers when it comes to hotel stays and meal vouchers.

What Travelers Should Expect in the Coming Days

Meteorological forecasts suggest that while the most intense phase of Storm Goretti has passed, temperatures across parts of the UK, France and the Low Countries are likely to remain low, with lingering risks of ice and further light snow.

That reality means airports and airlines cannot yet relax their winter posture. De-icing operations will remain a daily necessity at many hubs, increasing turnaround times and potentially causing additional short delays even under blue skies.

Operationally, the priority for airlines over the next several days will be to re-stabilise aircraft and crew schedules.

That may involve further targeted cancellations on lightly booked services in order to free up capacity for heavily disrupted routes, particularly transatlantic and other long-haul markets where aircraft are scarce and passenger numbers large.

Travelers using Manchester and Charles de Gaulle as part of multi-leg journeys should build in extra connection time where possible and be prepared for last-minute gate or timing changes.

Airports themselves are reviewing performance during the recent storm sequence, looking at the effectiveness of snow clearance, communication with passengers and the resilience of critical supply chains such as de-icing fluid.

Early indications from Schiphol and other affected hubs suggest that questions will be asked about stock levels, alternative suppliers and the logistics of rapid resupply when large parts of Europe are experiencing similar conditions simultaneously.

For now, the message from airlines, airport operators and air traffic managers is consistent: safety remains the overriding priority, and while delays and disruption are frustrating, they are preferable to taking undue risks in compromised conditions.

Passengers planning to travel through Manchester, Charles de Gaulle or other northern European hubs in the next few days are advised to monitor airline apps and airport announcements closely, arrive early at the terminal, and remain flexible about routing options as the network gradually recovers.

FAQ

Q1. Are flights still being delayed at Manchester Airport because of the recent snow?
Yes. While Manchester’s runways have reopened, residual delays are occurring as airlines work through backlogs, reposition aircraft and crews, and continue de-icing operations in cold conditions.

Q2. How badly has Paris Charles de Gaulle been affected by the severe weather?
Charles de Gaulle saw around 100 flight cancellations on January 7 due to snow and intense cold, with further cancellations at Orly. Although many services have resumed, delayed aircraft and crews mean ongoing timetable adjustments and occasional last-minute changes.

Q3. Why do delays persist even after the snow stops and runways are cleared?
Delays continue because disruptions knock aircraft and crews out of their planned rotations. It takes time to reposition planes, reset crew duty schedules and work through accumulated backlogs, especially at busy hubs with tightly packed timetables.

Q4. How has Amsterdam Schiphol’s situation affected travelers at Manchester and Paris?
Schiphol is a major connecting hub for many flights from Manchester and Paris. When Amsterdam suffers heavy cancellations and de-icing shortages, onward connections are lost, forcing rerouting through other hubs and adding pressure to the wider European network.

Q5. Is it safe to fly when there is snow and ice on the ground?
Yes, provided strict safety procedures are followed. Aircraft are de-iced before departure, runways are cleared and treated, and air traffic managers reduce capacity to safe levels. Flights may be delayed or cancelled precisely to preserve safety margins.

Q6. What rights do passengers have if their flight is cancelled due to severe weather in Europe?
Under European regulations, airlines must provide care such as meals and accommodation during significant disruptions, but monetary compensation is often not payable when cancellations are caused by extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather.

Q7. How long is it likely to take before schedules at Manchester and Charles de Gaulle return to normal?
The exact timeline depends on weather and operational factors, but airline planners typically need several days of relatively stable conditions to fully restore normal rotations after a major winter event affecting multiple hubs.

Q8. Should travelers with upcoming flights through European hubs change their plans?
Travelers with non-essential trips may wish to consider flexible dates. Those who must travel should monitor airline updates closely, allow extra time for connections, and be prepared for potential rebooking if their original flight is affected.

Q9. Why is de-icing fluid such a critical issue in these disruptions?
De-icing fluid is essential for removing snow and ice from aircraft surfaces and preventing reaccumulation before takeoff. When multiple airports experience extended snow and cold, demand can outstrip supply, forcing additional cancellations to maintain safety.

Q10. What can passengers do to minimise disruption during this period?
Passengers can check in online, track flight status frequently, arrive at the airport early, travel with essential items in carry-on baggage, and ensure contact details are up to date so airlines can send timely notifications about any changes.