London [UK], January 6 (ANI): Heavy snowfall has affected air travel in the UK and Germany. A number of airports in the UK closed their runways on Sunday due to heavy snow and ice, CNN reported.
Many areas of UK were under snow and ice warnings on Sunday, including most of Northern Island, the majority of Scotland and a large part of central and northern England, according to the UK’s Met Office. A yellow rain warning has been issued for almost all of Wales.
Manchester Airport said on Sunday morning that it had temporarily shut its runways due to heavy snow. In a post shared on social media, the airport said that staff members were on the ground to clear the snow from the runway, before the runway reopened around 9:45 am (local time), according to CNN report.
Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport also temporarily shut its runway on Sunday morning due to snow, before reopening it at 10:15 am (local time). Newcastle International Airport said that flight schedules were disrupted due to “heavy and continuous snowfall.”
Birmingham Airport had closed for several hours around midnight so that staff could clear the snow. However, it was later reopened on Sunday.
In a statement shared on X, the Birmingham Airport said, “As a result of resilience teams working throughout the night, the start up to the schedule remains business as usual. Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to allow plenty of time, we will continue to update passengers throughout the morning. Please check our website and with your airline for the latest flight information.”
❄ As a result of resilience teams working throughout the night, the start up to the schedule remains business as usual.
Passengers travelling to the airport are advised to allow plenty of time, we will continue to update passengers throughout the morning. Please check our…
— Birmingham Airport (@bhx_official) January 5, 2025
Bristol Airport in west England closed on Saturday due to “challenging weather conditions.” The airport later reopened in the evening. The airport warned that the closure may still impact departing flights on Sunday, CNN reported.
According to UK’s National Rail statement on Sunday, the train routes in England, Scotland and Wales were impacted by the poor weather. In a statement, it said, “Ice and snow can mean speed restrictions and line closures are implemented to ensure trains are able to run safely on the railway.”
National Highways, the government company that operates major roads in England, put out a countrywide severe weather alert for snow across England on Saturday and Sunday, as per the CNN report. It stated, “Road users are advised to take extra care if travelling over the weekend.”
Meanwhile, Frankfurt Airport in Germany cancelled 120 of its 1,090 planned takeoffs and landings on Sunday due to clearance work on runways and reduced visibility affecting the airport’s flight capacity, airport operator Fraport spokesperson said, Euro News reported.
Restrictions were imposed on flight operations at Munich Airport, where only one runway was open while the other was being cleared. Munich Airport spokesperson said that 35 take-offs and landings had already been cancelled on Saturday as a precautionary measure, while around 750 were postponed to Sunday.
Officials at Stuttgart airport said that de-icing machines were also taking longer considering the weather conditions. According to local officials, up to 10 centimetres of fresh snow fell in Cologne during the night and early morning, Euro News reported.
Amid the snowy weather conditions in some parts of Germany, an increase in accident reports was reported. According to authorities, a large number of weather-related accidents were happening as people were driving on snow-covered roads with summer tyres, the report said. Germany’s weather service issued black ice warnings for people, advising them to stay home where possible. (ANI)
