A second major UK airport has been forced to close its runway as heavy snow from Storm Goretti continues to cause widespread travel chaos across the country.
Airport Closures and Flight Disruption
East Midlands Airport announced the temporary closure of its sole runway early on Friday, 9 January 2026, to allow teams to clear heavy snowfall. The airport, a key operating base for airlines including Jet2.com, Ryanair and TUI Airways, stated passenger safety was its top priority.
This follows the suspension of operations at Birmingham Airport, where numerous arrivals and departures faced delays and cancellations. Flights from East Midlands to destinations such as Alicante and Prague are among those expected to be affected by the halt.
In a statement, the Leicestershire-based airport said: "Our runway is temporarily closed due to heavy snow, as our teams work hard to clear it as quickly as possible. The safety of our passengers is top priority and we appreciate your patience." They advised all passengers due to travel to check directly with their airline for the latest flight information.
Nationwide Chaos from Wintry Blast
The disruption extends far beyond the airports. Storm Goretti, named by French forecaster Meteo France, has been labelled a "multi-hazard event" by the UK Met Office, bringing a dangerous mix of snow, wind, rain and ice.
The storm unleashed 99mph winds at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly on Thursday – a new record for the location. This led to a rare red weather warning for "dangerous, stormy" winds in the South West.
The severe conditions have triggered major power cuts and transport problems nationwide:
- Over 50,000 properties were without power in the South West on Thursday evening.
- Approximately 9,000 homes lost power in the West Midlands, with a further 2,000 affected in Wales.
- All train services in Cornwall were suspended from 6pm on Thursday, with key routes in Devon also halted.
- National Rail warned that services across England, Wales and Scotland could be affected until the end of Friday.
Further Travel Warnings and Outlook
With up to 30cm of snow possible in some areas, weather warnings remain in place across the UK. The Met Office has warned of continued "disruption and dangerous travelling conditions."
East Midlands Airport, which was the 14th-busiest airport in the UK by passenger traffic in 2022, urged people to take extra care on roads and footpaths around the airport site. They promised further updates as teams work to reopen the runway, but cautioned that delays are expected even after flights resume.
The widespread impact of Storm Goretti underscores the severe challenges posed by this winter weather event, with schools closed, transport networks crippled, and thousands still facing power outages as the clean-up operation begins.
