Snowfall from Storm Goretti forced hundreds of flight cancellations in Paris and Amsterdam and snarled ground transport across parts of Western Europe, stranding passengers and disrupting supply chains as authorities warned residents to stay home and avoid icy roads.
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, said at least 700 flights were canceled because of snow and high winds after days of weather-related disruption. More than 1,000 people spent the night at the airport, which set up camp beds and provided breakfast for travelers. Schiphol warned that the number of cancellations was likely to rise through the day.
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In Paris, about 100 flights were canceled at Charles de Gaulle airport and 40 more at Orly as heavy snow moved across the capital region. France’s civil aviation authority asked airlines to cut 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle and 25% at Orly, deepening the schedule reductions as crews de-iced aircraft and cleared runways.
Public bus services in Paris and surrounding suburbs were suspended because of ice, transport officials said, though most metro and suburban rail lines continued to operate. Meteo France placed 38 of the country’s 96 mainland departments on alert for heavy snow and black ice, noting 3 to 7 centimeters of accumulation and calling the cold snap “of rare intensity for the season.” Authorities urged residents in the Paris region to avoid nonessential travel and work from home when possible.
In the Netherlands, officials likewise asked people to plan to stay home if at all possible, warning of a fresh blizzard expected to arrive overnight. Dutch airline KLM said it was running low on aircraft de-icing fluid because of delayed resupply, adding to operational strain. Schiphol said it still had ample stocks of a different de-icing fluid used to keep runways clear.
The weather ripple effects extended beyond France and the Netherlands. Dublin and Cork airports reported several cancellations on flights to and from Amsterdam and Paris. In Brussels, some flights were scrapped and widespread delays were reported as de-icing work slowed departures. The United Kingdom’s Met Office said ice warnings remained in place for Scotland, with alerts in most of England and Wales expected to lift later in the morning; forecasters said southern England would likely be hardest hit later this week.
Road freight also came under pressure in France, where officials temporarily banned trucks and school buses on routes across roughly a third of the country’s administrative departments, mostly in the north. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard said the truck restrictions would cause some supply-chain disruption, particularly for fresh produce.
The storm’s reach stretched into the Western Balkans, where heavy snow and rain closed roads, knocked out power and triggered flooding on rivers swollen by days of precipitation.
With Storm Goretti still tracking across Europe, transport authorities urged travelers to check flight status and road conditions before setting out, build in extra time for journeys, and expect rolling cancellations as crews manage de-icing operations and shifting weather bands.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
