Hundreds of passengers across Western Europe spent the weekend and Monday confronting long queues, improvised sleeping arrangements and fast-changing departure boards, after a fresh bout of snow, low clouds and high winds forced airlines to scrub or delay scores of flights in France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. KLM, Air France and easyJet were among the most affected carriers, as around 60 flights were cancelled and 971 delayed on key routes linking Paris, Amsterdam and London, highlighting once again how exposed Europe’s busiest hubs remain to winter weather at a time of already stretched aviation capacity.
Weather Turbulence Hits Key Hubs in France, the Netherlands and the UK
The latest wave of disruption unfolded over the weekend of February 15 and continued into Monday, February 16, as a slow-moving winter system swept through northern France and the Low Countries, bringing fresh snowfall, freezing rain and low visibility. At Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle, authorities reduced takeoff and landing capacity, forcing airlines to cut frequencies and consolidate services. In the UK, knock-on effects spread to London’s main airports, where aircraft and crews arriving late from continental Europe cascaded delays into afternoon and evening banks of departures.
Data from passenger-rights and flight-tracking platforms showed a sharp spike in disruption centered on France, the Netherlands and the UK, with approximately 60 flights cancelled outright and close to a thousand operating behind schedule across major cities on the day. While the numbers were lower than during the January peak of winter chaos, they were enough to create crowded terminals, long rebooking lines and missed connections across Europe’s interconnected network.
Although similar episodes are common in mid-winter, this latest event came on the heels of several weeks of unstable weather. Heavy snow and freezing fog have repeatedly hampered operations at Amsterdam Schiphol since early January, while Paris-area airports and London have also struggled with bouts of snow and strong winds. The effect for travelers has been cumulative: many passengers caught up in this weekend’s delays had already experienced at least one previous disruption this season.
KLM, Air France and EasyJet Bear the Brunt
Among airlines, KLM has again emerged as one of the most exposed to Northern Europe’s volatile winter. The Dutch carrier is heavily dependent on Amsterdam Schiphol as its primary hub, meaning any reduction in runway capacity or de-icing bottlenecks quickly ripples through its entire network. Earlier this season, KLM was forced to cancel hundreds of flights over a several-day period following intense snow and crosswinds linked to a named winter storm; while this weekend’s episode was smaller in scale, it nevertheless added to an already difficult winter for the airline’s operations teams.
Air France has faced similar challenges in Paris, particularly at Charles de Gaulle, where its long-haul and European banks of flights are tightly sequenced. When French aviation authorities request capacity reductions during snow events, airlines are typically given a cancellation quota and must then decide which flights to cut. That often means thinner point-to-point routes or late-evening rotations are axed to protect the integrity of higher-demand connections. For passengers, that can translate into reduced options, longer ground holds and rebookings over alternative hubs or on partner carriers.
EasyJet, Europe’s pan-continental low-cost carrier, has also been hit in several waves. With major bases at London Gatwick and Luton, as well as a significant presence at Amsterdam and multiple French airports, the airline’s extensive short-haul network is particularly susceptible to weather-driven rotation disruptions. When a morning set of flights is delayed or cancelled due to de-icing queues or temporary runway closures, aircraft and crews can fall behind schedule for the rest of the day, resulting in late-night arrivals, aircraft out of position and further cancellations the following morning.
Which Airports Are Most Affected Right Now
For travelers, understanding which airports are under the greatest strain can help in making routing decisions or preparing for likely disruption. Amsterdam Schiphol has been a consistent trouble spot throughout the 2025–26 winter season. A combination of heavy snowfall, icy taxiways and strong crosswinds has repeatedly forced Schiphol to curtail runway use. When this happens, carriers must reshuffle arrivals and departures, often prioritizing long-haul and key European trunk routes while trimming regional and secondary services.
In France, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly have both seen weather-linked delays and targeted cancellations in recent weeks. Authorities have on several occasions requested that airlines reduce flight volumes during peak snowfall, with carriers including Air France and KLM offering flexible rebooking options for passengers scheduled to travel on affected days. Regional airports in northern and eastern France have also reported periodic delays due to de-icing backlogs and limited ground handling resources when snow arrives faster than crews can clear aircraft and stands.
Across the Channel, London’s major airports have been impacted less by direct snow accumulation and more by the knock-on effects of disruption at continental hubs. Heathrow and Gatwick in particular rely heavily on arrivals from Amsterdam and Paris to feed onward networks. When flights from the continent depart late or are cancelled, this can ripple into missed connections and aircraft arriving without enough turnaround time for their next scheduled leg. Secondary airports, including London Luton and London Stansted, have experienced similar patterns where short-haul operators struggle to maintain tight timetables once the morning wave is affected.
The Routes and Passengers Caught in the Crossfire
The routes most disrupted in the latest wave of cancellations have been short to medium-haul connections within Europe, especially those tying together major business and leisure markets. Flights between Amsterdam, Paris and London, as well as links to other Northern European cities such as Frankfurt, Copenhagen and Stockholm, have featured heavily in the delay statistics. These services are typically among the most frequent in airline schedules, which makes them prime candidates for cancellation or consolidation when capacity is reduced.
Passengers connecting from long-haul flights have been particularly vulnerable. A late arrival from North America or Asia into a snow-affected hub may miss its planned onward connection to a regional European destination. In these situations, airlines must scramble to find spare seats on later services or reroute travelers through alternative hubs, sometimes sending passengers via cities far from their preferred itinerary. Families headed for ski holidays, business travelers on tight schedules and students returning after winter breaks are all among those who have faced extended layovers or overnight stays.
Low-cost carriers such as easyJet tend to operate point-to-point networks without guaranteed connections, which can be a double-edged sword. While passengers on such services are less likely to face missed onward flights, they can still experience last-minute cancellations, with limited ability to be rerouted on alternative airlines. In peak school holiday periods, when loads are high and spare seats scarce, this can leave travelers with few immediate options other than waiting until the weather clears and extra flights are scheduled.
Why Winter Weather Disrupts European Air Travel So Severely
While many passengers understandably question why a few centimeters of snow or an afternoon of strong winds can plunge European air travel into chaos, aviation experts highlight the particular vulnerabilities of Europe’s crowded skies and tightly scheduled hubs. Major airports such as Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow generally operate near the upper limit of their runway and terminal capacity on a typical day. Any reduction in that capacity, even by a modest percentage, can quickly cause a backlog of aircraft waiting to land, depart or be de-iced.
Winter weather compounds these challenges. Snow and ice require runways and taxiways to be cleared regularly, forcing temporary closures and slower surface movements. Aircraft must undergo de-icing, a process that takes time and requires specialized trucks and trained crews, both of which are finite resources. Meanwhile, visibility restrictions from low cloud and fog may require increased separation between aircraft for safety reasons, further reducing the number of takeoffs and landings possible in a given hour.
Beyond pure weather effects, the broader context is one of rising structural delays in European airspace. Industry reports have documented sharp increases in air traffic control and congestion-related delays over the past decade, even before weather factors are taken into account. When a winter system like the one affecting France, the Netherlands and the UK moves through an already stressed network, it tends to magnify existing weaknesses, from controller staffing to ground handling capacity, producing the kind of multi-day disruption pattern that travelers have experienced this season.
What Airlines Are Offering: Rebooking, Refunds and Vouchers
In response to the ongoing weather-related disruption, airlines including KLM and Air France have activated flexible rebooking policies for certain dates and routes. For flights to, from or via affected airports such as Amsterdam Schiphol and the Paris airports over key disruption days, passengers with tickets issued before the onset of the weather event are generally being allowed to change travel dates without penalty, provided the same cabin class is available. In some cases, carriers are extending rebooking windows by several days to accommodate limited seat availability on later flights.
Some airlines are also offering travel vouchers to customers who prefer to cancel their trips entirely rather than rebook. These vouchers can typically be used toward future flights on the issuing airline or partner carriers and may also apply to ancillary services such as seat selection or baggage. For passengers whose flights have been cancelled or significantly delayed, most European carriers are also providing options for cash refunds, in line with their contractual obligations and consumer protection rules.
Airport and airline call centers, however, have been under heavy strain, with long wait times reported across multiple countries. Many carriers are urging travelers to use online self-service tools, mobile apps or automated chat channels to request changes and view the latest flight status updates. While these tools can be effective for routine date changes, more complex itineraries involving multiple carriers or nonstandard connections may still require human intervention, which can slow the process for those with pressing travel needs.
Your Rights Under European Passenger Protection Rules
For travelers navigating these disruptions, one of the most important considerations is understanding what they are entitled to under European passenger rights regulations. Under existing rules, airlines must provide assistance such as meals, refreshments and accommodation when passengers are stranded due to significant delays or cancellations, regardless of the underlying cause. That means even in cases of adverse weather, travelers are typically entitled to basic care once a disruption crosses specific time thresholds, particularly when they are far from home or cannot reasonably continue their journey the same day.
Cash compensation, however, is more complex in the context of weather-related disruption. European regulations generally exempt airlines from paying standardized compensation when cancellations and long delays are caused by extraordinary circumstances outside the carrier’s control, a category that often includes severe weather. Nevertheless, each case can be highly fact specific, and questions sometimes arise around whether an airline took all reasonable measures to avoid or mitigate the impact of a weather event. Specialist claims companies and national enforcement bodies routinely examine these issues, though the process can be lengthy.
Passengers are advised to keep boarding passes, booking confirmations and any written communication from airlines regarding the cause of disruption. These documents can prove important if they later decide to pursue a claim or seek reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses. It is also prudent to retain receipts for hotels, meals and ground transport incurred during an unplanned stay, as some of these costs may be recoverable either from the airline or from travel insurance policies, depending on the specific terms.
How Travelers Can Minimize Risk in the Coming Weeks
With winter weather patterns expected to persist into late February and early March, travelers planning trips through France, the Netherlands or the UK should assume that further disruption is possible and plan accordingly. Building longer connection times into itineraries, especially when transiting through hubs like Amsterdam and Paris on the way to regional destinations, can provide a buffer against moderate delays. Where feasible, opting for earlier flights in the day can also improve the odds of getting out, as airlines have more room to rebook affected passengers onto later services if initial departures are cancelled.
Monitoring weather forecasts and airport advisories in the 48 hours before travel can offer early warning of potential issues. Many airlines and third-party apps allow travelers to sign up for proactive flight alerts via text message or email, which can be invaluable if schedules begin to shift rapidly. In cases where carriers announce voluntary change policies ahead of a forecast storm, seizing the opportunity to move a trip forward or back by a day may be the least stressful option, even if it requires some flexibility on hotel or ground arrangements.
Travelers who depend on tight schedules for business meetings, onward rail journeys or cruise departures may also want to consider routing strategies that avoid the most weather-exposed hubs when possible. While no major European airport is immune to winter conditions, some secondary hubs further south or in milder climates can be less prone to snow-related disruption than their Northern European counterparts. Ultimately, the current season’s experience underscores a sobering reality for passengers: in an era of congested skies and volatile weather, resilience and flexibility have become essential tools for anyone navigating Europe’s air network.