Thousands of airline passengers across Europe are facing severe disruption as a fresh wave of winter weather and operational strain triggers 567 flight cancellations and numerous delays on January 5, 2026.

Major carriers including KLM, easyJet, Vueling, British Airways and regional operator HOP! have slashed schedules or significantly delayed services, leaving travelers stranded from Amsterdam and London to Geneva, Copenhagen, Milan and a long list of secondary hubs.

The knock-on effect from earlier days of disruption is compounding today’s chaos, testing airline resilience and airport infrastructure at the height of the post-holiday travel period.

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Widespread Disruption Across Europe’s Core Hubs

The latest wave of cancellations and delays is hitting some of Europe’s most strategically important airports, where relatively small cuts in capacity can rapidly spiral into systemwide disruption.

Amsterdam Schiphol, London’s major airports, Geneva, Copenhagen and Milan are among the worst affected today, with ground operations pushed to their limits and long lines at check-in, transfer desks and rebooking counters.

At Amsterdam Schiphol, KLM has again borne the largest share of cancellations, scaling back both European feeder services and selected long haul routes.

The airline has already been leading regional cancellation statistics in recent days and continues to face a backlog of displaced passengers, especially on key links to the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Nordic region.

The hub’s role as a primary connection point for Northern Europe means that every grounded departure reverberates outward to smaller airports across the continent.

London’s main airports are also under pressure, with British Airways and easyJet cancelling and delaying services on heavily trafficked routes to the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy and the Alpine region.

Geneva and Milan, both key winter gateways for ski traffic and business travel, are reporting heavy congestion in departure halls and at arrival passport control as delayed inbound flights arrive in bunches.

Operational staff at several airports are warning that even once weather improves, aircraft and crew dislocation will take days rather than hours to unwind.

Weather and Network Strain Combine to Cripple Schedules

The current disruption follows several consecutive days of severe winter weather across Northern, Central and parts of Eastern Europe, including heavy snowfall, strong winds and poor visibility that have restricted runway capacity and slowed ground handling.

Forecasts from regional meteorological centers pointed to snowstorms and gusty conditions between January 1 and January 4, with particular emphasis on the Netherlands and surrounding regions, and those conditions have proven disruptive for hub operations.

Schiphol in particular has seen capacity reductions as snow and crosswinds forced temporary runway closures and slower aircraft movements, prompting airlines to proactively cancel flights to prevent aircraft from becoming stuck out of position.

In practice, however, the scale of the cancellations has still left many aircraft and crews scattered across the network, with tight turnarounds, mandatory crew rest limits and constrained maintenance windows now weighing heavily on today’s schedule.

Beyond pure weather, the holiday peak itself has magnified vulnerabilities in the European air transport system. High load factors mean that rebooking options for disrupted passengers are limited, even when airlines add extra capacity.

Delays from earlier days have also cascaded forward, with aircraft starting the morning out of position, creating immediate knock-on delays that grow throughout the day.

Travelers who assumed that early January would bring more predictable operations are instead finding themselves facing rolling last-minute changes or outright cancellations.

KLM, easyJet, Vueling, British Airways and HOP! Under Pressure

Among individual airlines, KLM again stands out as one of the most affected carriers, with hundreds of cancellations attributed to its Amsterdam hub over recent days and a continued elevated level of disruption today.

The carrier has trimmed frequencies on dense short haul routes, consolidated services where possible, and in some cases halted certain rotations altogether.

Passengers on intra-European routes to and from Schiphol are seeing same-day cancellations as well as schedule changes announced only hours before departure.

Low cost giant easyJet is simultaneously battling widespread disruption across its bases in the UK and continental Europe.

With a large proportion of its winter schedule tied to city break destinations and ski gateways such as Geneva, Milan and various Alpine-adjacent airports, the airline is dealing with both weather and slot-related congestion.

Where flights do operate, knock-on delays of several hours are not uncommon, forcing passengers to rearrange ground transfers, hotel stays and onward rail journeys at short notice.

British Airways is juggling cancellations and heavy delays on its London-driven network, particularly on routes into northern Europe and key hubs on the continent.

Vueling, with its strong presence in Spain and Italy, is also experiencing disruption as rotations through affected hubs are thrown off schedule.

Regional operator HOP!, which feeds Air France’s operations and connects smaller French and neighboring cities to major hubs, is facing acute challenges: the cancellation of relatively short regional legs can leave passengers stranded in secondary airports where alternative options are limited and support facilities are less extensive.

Ripple Effects From Amsterdam, London, Geneva, Copenhagen and Milan

The geographical spread of today’s disruption reflects how tightly interlinked Europe’s aviation system has become.

Amsterdam and London continue to act as central nodes through which vast volumes of connecting traffic pass each day.

When weather and operations at these hubs falter, downstream airports in Germany, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean rapidly feel the impact through missed connections, empty inbound aircraft and sudden schedule gaps.

Geneva and Milan, while smaller than London and Amsterdam, occupy strategic positions during the winter season.

Geneva’s proximity to major ski resorts in France and Switzerland makes it a critical gateway for holidaymakers and seasonal workers.

Cancelling or severely delaying a single flight can strand large groups of travelers who are reliant on synchronized coach transfers or last-train connections into the Alps.

Milan, split between its key airports, functions as both a business and leisure gateway, and disruptions there have been rippling into domestic Italian routes as well as services to Spain, France and Eastern Europe.

Copenhagen is also featuring prominently in this latest wave of disruption. As a Nordic hub, it links Scandinavia with Western and Central Europe, and weather-linked delays in Denmark, Sweden and Norway are translating into later-than-planned departures and arrivals across the broader network.

Smaller Scandinavian airports are reporting late-night arrivals as airlines attempt to recover schedules, leading to local curfews, extended staff shifts and, in some cases, temporary suspension of operations when safety limits are reached.

Passengers Face Long Queues, Limited Information and Overnight Stays

Inside terminals, the human impact of the cancellations and delays is visible in crowded departure halls, sprawling queues at airline service desks and long lines at security and border control.

Many travelers report waiting hours to rebook flights that might themselves be at risk of further disruption, while others are struggling to access timely information as airport and airline call centers reach capacity.

Hotels near major hubs in Amsterdam, London and Geneva are reportedly close to full occupancy as stranded passengers are forced into unplanned overnight stays.

In some cases, airlines are providing vouchers for accommodation and meals where regulations require it, but high demand and limited last-minute availability mean that some travelers are having to arrange and pay for their own rooms in the short term, hoping to seek reimbursement later.

Families traveling with children, elderly passengers and those with tight medical or professional commitments are particularly exposed. Missed cruises, tours, business meetings and connecting long haul flights are now common stories among those caught in the disruption.

Social media channels are filled with images of passengers sleeping on terminal floors, waiting out the night in gate areas or queuing for customer assistance that may not be able to offer viable same-day solutions.

What Travelers Need to Know About Rights and Practical Next Steps

For passengers facing cancellations or significant delays, European and UK regulations generally offer protection in the form of rebooking, refunds and, in many cases, compensation, depending on the underlying cause of the disruption and the route and airline involved.

However, the current wave of problems is tightly linked to severe winter weather and associated safety restrictions, which are typically classified by airlines as extraordinary circumstances.

In such cases, carriers must still provide care and assistance, including meals and accommodation where required, but may not be obliged to pay monetary compensation.

Travel experts are advising passengers to keep all receipts for hotels, meals, local transport and essential purchases when stranded, and to request written confirmation of the cause of disruption from the airline where possible.

Travelers who booked via online travel agencies or third party platforms may need to coordinate with those companies for rebooking, which can add an additional layer of delay and complexity.

Those with comprehensive travel insurance may be able to recover certain out-of-pocket costs, especially where policies explicitly cover weather-related disruption.

Operational data from recent days underscores that Europe’s aviation system is likely to remain fragile in the short term.

A significant number of flights were already cancelled or heavily delayed on January 3 and January 4, particularly around Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Zurich, meaning that today’s cancellations are hitting passengers who were already rebooked from earlier disruptions.

Travelers set to fly in the coming days are being urged to monitor flight status closely, allow extra time at airports and consider flexible plans for overland alternatives such as rail where feasible.

Outlook for the Coming Days as Airlines Work to Stabilize Operations

While forecasts suggest that the most intense snow and wind conditions may ease in some regions after January 5, the operational consequences of the current disruption are expected to linger.

Aircraft and crews remain scattered, maintenance cycles have been compressed and key airports face slot constraints that limit how quickly airlines can add extra recovery flights without causing further congestion.

Some carriers are proactively trimming schedules over the next several days to create more buffer in the system, reducing the risk of rolling last-minute cancellations but also limiting capacity for passengers seeking to be rebooked.

Others are deploying larger aircraft on select routes to move more people per flight, focusing on trunk routes between major hubs in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Southern Europe.

Industry observers note that the recent sequence of disruptions across late 2025 and early 2026 highlights broader questions about how resilient Europe’s aviation network is to extreme weather and operational shocks.

For travelers, the practical takeaway is clear: the early January travel period, traditionally busy but manageable, now carries elevated risk of extended delays, missed connections and unplanned stopovers.

Those with travel scheduled over the next week are being strongly encouraged to build flexibility into their plans and to prepare contingencies for overnight stays or re-routed journeys.

FAQ

Q1: Why are so many flights cancelled and delayed across Europe today?
Many flights are being cancelled or delayed due to a combination of severe winter weather, including snow and strong winds that limit runway capacity, and knock-on operational issues such as aircraft and crews being out of position after several days of earlier disruptions.

Q2: Which airlines are most affected by the current disruption?
KLM, easyJet, Vueling, British Airways and regional carrier HOP! are among the hardest hit today, particularly at major hubs like Amsterdam Schiphol, London’s main airports, Geneva, Copenhagen and Milan, though a wide range of other European and international airlines are also experiencing delays.

Q3: What are the worst affected airports right now?
Amsterdam Schiphol, the main London airports, Geneva, Copenhagen and Milan are seeing some of the heaviest disruption, with hundreds of cancellations and significant delays, while secondary hubs across Germany, France, Spain, Scandinavia and Italy are experiencing spillover effects.

Q4: If my flight is cancelled, am I entitled to a refund or rebooking?
If your flight is cancelled, you are generally entitled to choose between a refund of the unused portion of your ticket or rebooking on a later flight, depending on availability. Airlines must offer these options even when cancellations are caused by severe weather, although exact procedures can vary by carrier.

Q5: Will I receive financial compensation for delays and cancellations?
Financial compensation under European and UK passenger rights rules typically depends on the cause of the disruption. When cancellations and long delays are due to extraordinary circumstances such as severe weather or air traffic control restrictions, airlines usually must provide care and assistance but are not required to pay additional cash compensation.

Q6: What kind of help should airlines provide if I am stranded overnight?
When passengers are stranded overnight because of a cancelled or heavily delayed flight, airlines are generally expected to provide reasonable accommodation, meals and local transport between the airport and hotel, particularly when the disruption occurs at the airline’s hub or on flights departing from the EU or UK.

Q7: How can I improve my chances of getting rebooked quickly?
Experts recommend using multiple channels at once, such as airline apps, websites and customer service phone lines, while also queuing at airport service desks if necessary. Passengers willing to accept alternative routes or nearby airports often have more options during large-scale disruption.

Q8: Should I go to the airport if my flight status is uncertain?
If your flight is still officially scheduled but disruption is widespread, you should monitor status closely and follow airline guidance. In many cases, airlines advise travelers not to travel to the airport if a flight is cancelled or severely delayed, and may offer free rebooking or vouchers for later dates.

Q9: What documents should I keep for potential reimbursement claims?
Passengers are encouraged to keep boarding passes, booking confirmations, written notices from airlines about the cause of disruption, and all receipts for meals, hotels, ground transport and essential items purchased while stranded, as these may be required for reimbursement or insurance claims.

Q10: How long is it likely to take before operations return to normal?
The timeline for recovery depends on how quickly weather improves and how effectively airlines can reposition aircraft and crews. Even after conditions stabilize, it can take several days for schedules to fully normalize, particularly at major hubs where slots and ground resources are tightly constrained.