Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, a major European flight hub, has been plunged into chaos after announcing the cancellation of at least 700 flights. The drastic measure comes as a severe winter storm blankets parts of the continent in snow and ice, causing days of mounting travel misery.
Passengers Stranded Overnight at Airport
The airport confirmed that the extreme conditions forced more than 1,000 travellers to spend Wednesday night within its terminals. In response to the unfolding situation, Schiphol set up emergency camp beds and provided breakfast to those stranded. Officials have warned that the number of cancelled services is likely to increase throughout the day as the challenging weather persists.
Widespread European Travel Disruption
The freezing snap is wreaking havoc far beyond the Netherlands. In France, the transport minister reported significant cancellations at Paris's main airports. Approximately 100 flights were axed at Charles de Gaulle and a further 40 at Orly due to heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures.
The dangerous conditions have also had fatal consequences. Authorities confirmed that five people died in road accidents in France on Tuesday alone. In the Paris region, public bus services were suspended because of icy roads, although most metro and rail lines continued to operate.
Météo France, the national weather service, has placed 38 departments on alert for heavy snow and black ice. The agency described the cold spell as being of "rare intensity for the season", with several centimetres of snow already settled. French authorities had pre-emptively advised residents in the Paris area to avoid all non-essential travel on Wednesday and to work from home where possible.
Ongoing Challenges for Airports
The situation at Schiphol underscores the vulnerability of major transport infrastructure to extreme weather events. As one of Europe's busiest airports, the cascading effect of its cancellations will be felt across global flight networks. Passengers are being urged to check directly with their airlines for the latest information before travelling to any airport affected by the severe European weather.
