EUROPE:NORTHERN EUROPE'S big freeze wreaked more havoc yesterday as some airports failed to cope with the snow and retailers struggled to make up lost sales in the few shopping days left before Christmas.
More aircraft got off the ground than on Monday but for thousands of travellers, hoping to get home or away for Christmas, delays and cancellations were widespread.
Eurocontrol, which oversees air-traffic control across 38 countries, said it expected more services to operate after about 3,000 flights were cancelled on Monday.
Europe’s weather woes are having far-reaching implications, with Kenya warning it was likely to miss its 2010 tourism forecasts as a result of the flight disruption.
With airlines feeling the growing cost of the chaos, the EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas said he was considering forcing airports to provide a minimum level of infrastructure support during severe weather.
Flights to and from Frankfurt airport, Europe’s biggest, resumed yesterday morning after the airport had been shut for several hours overnight.
Operator Fraport said it aimed to return to normal flight operations as quickly as possible but delays continued.
Michael Falgowski said: “I arrived at the airport on Sunday and I’ve been waiting the whole time. My flight has been cancelled again and now I’m going to take the train. I don’t want to wait here any longer. It’s terrible.”
The picture was slightly brighter for air travellers in Belgium after handling agents at its main airport secured de-icing fluid. This followed an earlier warning that they might run out. – (Reuters)