Major European air hubs are struggling to keep aircraft moving as a series of powerful winter storms turns the early weeks of 2026 into a travel ordeal for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

From Amsterdam to Paris, Frankfurt and beyond, airlines are cancelling and delaying flights by the hundreds in response to blizzards, high winds and treacherous ice that have repeatedly pushed airport operations to the brink.

More News

Schiphol at the Epicenter of Europe’s Flight Disruptions

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has emerged as the most visible symbol of the current winter aviation crisis, with a succession of storms bringing repeated shutdowns of runways, lengthy de icing queues and cascading delays across Europe’s air network. At the height of the disruption in early January, Schiphol recorded hundreds of cancellations in a single day as airlines struggled to operate safely in heavy snow and crosswinds.

On 6 January, Dutch flag carrier KLM cancelled around 400 flights from its Schiphol hub as snow and strong winds made operations increasingly difficult. Tracking data showed that nearly one third of remaining departures were delayed, turning the usually efficient hub into a scene of overflowing departure halls, long customer service queues and weary travelers trying to rebook journeys that suddenly stretched into days rather than hours.

Airport officials said that limited runway capacity, combined with repeated pauses for snow clearance and de icing, meant airlines were forced to slash schedules. With crews and aircraft out of position, knock on effects rippled into the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Central Europe and Mediterranean destinations, leaving passengers stranded far from the original center of the storm.

Schiphol’s troubles have been amplified by the airport’s role as a key transfer point for both intra European and long haul flights. When the hub falters, connections to North America, Asia and Africa are quickly affected, magnifying the impact of each weather system that sweeps across the Low Countries.

Storm Goretti and Successive Systems Batter Western Europe

The severe disruption has not come from a single event but from a rapid succession of winter systems, capped by the powerful storm Goretti that swept across Western Europe between 6 and 10 January. Named by Météo France, Goretti brought a dangerous mix of violent winds, heavy snowfall and freezing rain to the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Germany.

In northern France and around Paris, meteorologists warned of gusts strong enough to topple trees and damage power lines, while also forecasting accumulations of wet, heavy snow that would complicate snow clearance at airports and on major highways. French authorities issued red and orange level weather warnings and urged people to avoid non essential travel as ground transport and aviation both came under pressure.

Across Belgium and the Netherlands, national weather services posted yellow and orange warnings for snow and ice as Goretti’s northern flank pushed bands of precipitation across already frozen surfaces. Road conditions deteriorated rapidly, and airport authorities reported difficulties keeping taxiways and aprons clear even as snow crews worked continuously around the clock.

The storms arrived on top of an already snowy start to the year in parts of Northern Europe. Earlier in January, Storm Anna had brought heavy snow and gusty winds that forced Amsterdam Schiphol to halt a significant share of its operations, cancelling more than 325 flights and delaying over 600 others in a single day. That earlier chaos left airlines and passengers with little margin when Goretti and subsequent systems arrived.

Paris, Frankfurt and Other Hubs Struggle to Maintain Schedules

While Amsterdam has experienced some of the most dramatic statistics, other major European hubs have also been hit hard, turning the winter of 2026 into a continent wide aviation challenge. At Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, heavy snowfall and episodes of freezing rain forced airlines to cancel dozens of flights and lengthened turnaround times for aircraft that did manage to operate.

Ground handling teams in Paris reported that de icing operations were slowed both by the intensity of the snowfall and by wind gusts that periodically made it unsafe for personnel to work around aircraft. As a result, departure waves were compressed, some morning flights left hours late, and inbound services were diverted to regional airports when landing conditions briefly dipped below safety thresholds.

In Germany, the impact of Goretti and related systems was felt from Hamburg in the north to Frankfurt and beyond. Hamburg Airport cancelled around 40 flights as heavy snow and strong winds swept across northern Germany, while Deutsche Bahn suspended long distance rail services in some regions, narrowing options for travelers seeking to bypass air disruption. Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe’s busiest intercontinental hubs, implemented capacity reductions and pre emptive cancellations as snow bands moved through central Germany, prioritizing long haul connections and cargo operations where possible.

Elsewhere, hubs in Belgium, Scandinavia and parts of Central Europe have each seen waves of cancellations and delays as the storms tracked east and south. The cumulative effect has been a patchwork of localized crises that, taken together, amount to one of the most challenging early winter periods for European aviation in recent years.

Passengers Face Long Queues, Uncertain Itineraries and Packed Hotels

For travelers caught in the midst of the disruption, the experience has been marked by uncertainty, long waits and difficult choices. At Schiphol, images from the terminals showed lines stretching through check in areas and into public halls as stranded passengers tried to rebook flights, secure hotel vouchers or simply obtain clear information about when they might be able to leave.

Similar scenes have played out in Paris and German airports, where information screens displayed rows of cancelled or severely delayed departures. Families returning from holiday trips, business travelers, and students heading back to universities all found themselves competing for limited seats on the few flights that were still operating. Many reported waiting for hours in customer service queues only to be told that the next available departure would be days away.

Hotels near major hubs quickly filled as airlines were obliged under European passenger rights rules to provide accommodation for stranded customers. In some cities, particularly around Amsterdam and Paris, rooms became scarce during the worst of the disruption, forcing travelers to seek lodging far from the airport or spend the night in terminal seating areas while they waited for an opportunity to depart.

Social media channels were filled with anecdotes of missed connections, lost luggage and extraordinary overland journeys as some passengers opted to complete trips by train, rental car or long distance bus. Others chose to abandon their journeys altogether, particularly on short haul routes where rebooking options were limited and flexibility from employers or schools was constrained.

Airlines Juggle Safety, Scheduling and Operational Limits

Airlines operating across Europe have emphasized that safety must remain the overriding concern even as they face mounting costs and pressure to restore normal operations. Severe crosswinds, reduced visibility, icy runways and the risk of freezing precipitation on aircraft surfaces all narrow the window for safe departures and landings, and carriers say they are unwilling to compromise those margins for the sake of maintaining schedules.

KLM, Air France and other major operators have repeatedly reduced their timetables in advance of the worst conditions, cancelling flights proactively to avoid last minute chaos and to free up resources for passengers on remaining services. However, these measures have not been enough to avoid large scale disruption, particularly when storms arrive in quick succession and ground conditions remain challenging for days at a time.

One of the critical constraints has been the availability of de icing fluid and equipment, especially at hubs experiencing continuous sub zero temperatures and frequent snow bands. At Amsterdam, KLM has acknowledged that tight supplies of de icing fluid at points during the cold snap limited its ability to turn aircraft quickly, further amplifying delays. Ground handling teams must also periodically pause operations when winds become too strong to work safely around aircraft, creating additional bottlenecks.

Airlines are also grappling with crew placement and duty time limitations. When flights are delayed or cancelled, pilots and cabin crew can quickly exceed legally allowed working hours, forcing further cancellations even after conditions begin to improve. Repositioning aircraft and crews across a European network riddled with weather related gaps has become a daily logistical puzzle for operations centers from London and Amsterdam to Frankfurt and Vienna.

Airports and Authorities Respond With Warnings and Contingency Plans

Airport operators and national aviation authorities have been working to manage expectations and reduce non essential travel during the heaviest storms. In the Netherlands, officials at Schiphol urged passengers to stay away from the airport if their flight had been cancelled, warning that terminal facilities were already under immense strain and that alternative options would be limited in the short term.

Météo France, the German Weather Service and other national meteorological agencies issued repeated bulletins advising people to reconsider travel plans, both by air and by road or rail, when red or orange warnings were in place. Some local governments temporarily closed schools and public facilities, freeing up resources for snow clearance and emergency services as blizzards moved through.

European aviation regulators have stressed that flexibility remains crucial during such episodes. Slots and air traffic flow restrictions have been adjusted to allow airports to concentrate remaining capacity on key long haul links and essential regional services, while some airlines have been granted waivers from normal rules governing take off and landing rights when it became impossible to use them because of the weather.

At ground level, airports have deployed additional staff to passenger information points, security lines and baggage halls, attempting to prevent bottlenecks where possible. Many hubs have also opened rest zones, distributed blankets and water, and partnered with local charities and municipalities to support travelers stuck overnight.

Economic Toll and Questions Over Winter Preparedness

The financial impact of the 2026 winter storms is still being calculated, but early indications suggest substantial costs for airlines, airports and the broader travel industry. Each cancellation represents not only lost ticket revenue but also hotel stays, meal vouchers, rebooking costs and compensation payments under European passenger rights regulations, which can be significant when flights are cancelled at short notice.

For airports, extended disruptions mean lost income from landing fees, retail and food concessions, parking and ancillary services. The knock on effects spread quickly to hotels, ground transport providers and tourism businesses that depend on smooth flows of visitors in the normally busy New Year and early winter period. In parallel, rail and bus operators face their own weather related challenges even as they see surging demand from travelers seeking alternatives to air.

The severity of the current season is prompting renewed debate over how prepared Europe’s airports and airlines are for increasingly volatile winter weather. Climate scientists note that while average winters may be milder over the long term, the frequency of intense cold snaps and heavy precipitation events can still increase, creating new operational challenges for infrastructure designed around historical norms.

Questions are being raised about investment levels in snow clearance equipment, de icing capacity, runway drainage and terminal resilience, as well as about coordination between airlines, airports and meteorological agencies. Some industry voices argue that more robust contingency planning and clearer passenger communication protocols are needed to prevent scenes of confusion when major storms hit multiple hubs at once.

Outlook for Travelers and the Rest of the Winter Season

As mid January approaches, forecasters warn that the pattern of unsettled, cold weather over Europe could persist, with further snow and ice possible across key aviation corridors. While none of the upcoming systems is currently projected to match the intensity of Goretti at its peak, even moderate storms can trigger new waves of disruption when networks are already strained and backlogs of displaced passengers remain.

Airlines are advising travelers to build extra time and flexibility into their plans for the remainder of the winter season, especially for journeys that rely on tight connections through northern European hubs. Many carriers have introduced temporary fee waivers for date changes on affected routes, encouraging passengers to move trips away from days with the highest forecast risk.

For now, the scenes in Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and other major airports stand as a stark reminder of how quickly Europe’s intricate aviation system can be thrown off balance by a few intense days of snow and wind. With weeks of winter still ahead, carriers, airports and passengers alike are bracing for the possibility that the travel nightmare unleashed by the 2026 storms may not yet be over.