German airports see delays and cancellations due to freezing temperatures

Air transport in Germany has been hit by freezing temperatures and extreme weather with hundreds of flights grounded.

Airports are warning of severe disruptions due to the extreme cold creating dangerous conditions for aircraft on the ground and in the air.

Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled on Wednesday and the disruption is expected to continue throughout Thursday (January 18).

Travelers are advised to check the status of their flights before going to the airports.

Flights canceled at German airports due to ‘extreme’ conditions.

Travelers who intend to fly from airports in Germany on January 18 and in the coming days are warned to expect disruptions.

The German weather service has warned of heavy snowfall across the country, with some places expecting up to 30 centimeters, in the next 24 hours.

Freezing temperatures cause dangerous conditions for pilots.

Frankfurt Airport is currently the most affected. The travel center warns of significant flight delays and cancellations.

On Wednesday, 570 of the 1,047 scheduled arrivals and departures were cancelled. More than 300 of the 1,000 flights scheduled for Thursday were also grounded.

Even if planes can be cleared, they risk re-icing while taxiing along the runway, the airport said.

“Due to the expected weather conditions, flight disruptions and cancellations will occur on January 17 at Frankfurt Airport. Weather-related flight disruptions are also planned for January 18,” a spokesperson said.

Travelers are asked not to come to the airport if their flights are cancelled.

Munich Airport is also affected, with 254 flights on the ground.

In western Germany, Saarbruecken airport closed for the day on Wednesday, and Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn airports were also affected by delays and cancellations.

The German weather service has raised weather warnings for some areas to level four, or “extremely severe”.

At the Frankfurt airport, warnings were issued of black ice. When it develops on runways, it reduces aircraft traction and risks accidents.

Freezing rain is also a problem for pilots when in the air. If ice accumulates on the wings of the plane it can destabilize the plane.

Lufthansa flights are likely to see the most disruption. The airline has its bases in Frankfurt and Munich airports.

Passengers are requested to check the status of their flights in advance on the websites of the company or the airport and not to go to the airport in case of cancellations.

In December, Munich Airport was forced to close for several days due to snowy conditions. An aircraft that was not in use at the time flipped backwards after snow built up on the fuselage.

German rail travel disrupted by icy conditions

German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) also warned delays and cancellations due to freezing conditions.

The company scrapped several long-distance connections and limited the maximum speed for its high-speed ICE trains to 200 kilometers per hour on Wednesday as a precautionary measure.

DB are warning on Thursday they are likely to see more services affected by the extreme weather.