Severe icy conditions have led to the temporary closure of airports in four major central European cities, causing significant disruptions to travel plans.
On Tuesday morning, airports in Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Prague (Czech Republic) were forced to shut down briefly due to freezing weather conditions.
Budapest Airport took to Facebook to announce the suspension of all arrivals and departures from 10:25 am local time (9:25 am GMT) because of the presence of black ice. Hungary issued freezing rain and snow warnings, with ice forming on the Danube and Tisza rivers. Moreover, Lake Balaton in western Hungary has frozen over, an event that occurs only once every 10 to 15 years.
Vienna International Airport also faced closure as a thick layer of ice covered its runways, which repeatedly froze despite clearing attempts. Flights were redirected to alternative airports, and Austria’s state railway company, OeBB, advised passengers to delay non-urgent journeys due to service disruptions and cancellations.
Meanwhile, in Slovakia, Bratislava Airport shut down due to snow and ice, with warnings of black ice in western regions and heavy snow in central and northern areas. Reports from The Slovak Spectator indicated that both Vienna and Bratislava airports were scheduled to resume operations later in the morning.
Prague Airport informed the public that it was functioning in a significantly limited capacity, stating, “Due to heavy freezing rain, arrivals are being restricted to allow for de-icing of critical areas like the main runway, taxiways, and aircraft stands. These restrictions will lead to flight delays throughout the day.”
Over the weekend, thousands of tourists found themselves stranded in northern Finland as flights were canceled due to extreme cold. Temperatures at Kittilä Airport dropped to -37°C on Sunday morning, making the de-icing process for aircraft particularly challenging, as reported by Finland’s public broadcaster, Yle.