Christmas getaway misery as snow stymies Europe

Christmas getaway misery as snow stymies Europe
A couple walks on a bank of the River Seine in Paris. Two of the four runwa... Heavy snow disrupted the Christmas holiday getaway in Europe, forcing the continent's biggest airports to close and thousands of stranded passengers to spend the night on terminal floors. In London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Brussels, flights were cancelled and airports warned of backlogs spilling into next week, with snow and ice frustrating travel plans across Europe on the last weekend before December 25. H...

Heavy snow brings Europe to a standstill
A rare sight ... heavy Snowfalls blanket Florence in Italy. Photo: AP London: British Airways said all flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick were cancelled between 10am and 5pm local time yesterday as snow blanketed Western Europe over the last weekend before Christmas. As much as 15 centimetres of snow fell in south-west England and ''further significant accumulations'' are likely, Britain's Met Office said on its website. The snow also affected airports in Germany and the Netherlands...

Snow and ice disrupt pre-Christmas travel in Europe
London (Reuters) - Europe saw little respite on Sunday from the Arctic conditions that closed airports and disrupted travel over the weekend before Christmas, traditionally one of the busiest times of the year. London's Heathrow, the world's busiest International Airport, which was forced to close both its runways for much of Saturday because of heavy snow, was not accepting inbound flights on Sunday and said only a few planes would be leaving. About 30 metric tons of snow were being shifted aw...

Heavy Snow Stalls Air Travel, Roads Across Europe
Blizzards and freezing temperatures shut down runways, train tracks and highways across Europe on Saturday, disrupting flights and leaving shivering drivers stranded on roadsides. Airports in Britain, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark reported cancelations or delays to flights. London's Gatwick Airport closed its runway — despite the efforts of 150 staff using 47 snow plows, while British Airways suspended all flights from Heathrow. "Heathrow is fully operational but we a...

Heavy snow hits air travel, roads across Europe
LONDON - Blizzards and freezing temperatures shut down runways, train tracks and highways across Europe on Saturday, disrupting flights and leaving shivering drivers stranded on roadsides. Airports in Britain, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark reported cancelations or delays to flights. London's Gatwick Airport closed its runway — despite the efforts of 150 staff using 47 snow plows, while British Airways suspended all flights from Heathrow. "Heathrow is fully opera...

'Havoc' Continues In Europe As Snow Snarls Travel
Passengers wait for flights in the check-in area of London's Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport on Dec. 20, 2010. The statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in London. The statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in London. There are "travelers" (a word that doesn't quite apply, as you'll see) who are about to spend a third night camped out in London's Heathrow airport because brutal winter weather across much of Europe continues to disrupt Air Travel. From London...

Snow causes pre-Christmas travel chaos in Europe
BERLIN (Reuters) - Heavy snow and freezing temperatures caused Travel Chaos across northern Europe on Friday, with hundreds of German flights cancelled and icy roads wreaking havoc in Poland and the Netherlands ahead of Christmas. A spokesman for Frankfurt airport operator Fraport (FRAG.DE) said 400 of 1,400 scheduled flights had been cancelled at continental Europe's busiest airport, even though Germany's financial capital escaped the worst of the winter weather. Another 100 flights were cancel...

Fliers may be stranded in London past Xmas
American singer Lady GaGa perfoms at O2 Arena in London Dec. 16, 2010. UPI/Rune Hellestad LONDON, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- London's Heathrow Airport might remain partially paralyzed past Christmas, stranding tens of thousands of passengers, officials said Monday. The British Aviation Administration said two-thirds of the United Kingdom's largest airport's arrivals and departures would be canceled at least until Wednesday morning, The Guardian of London reported. The airport has the money to keep open on...

Europe's Snow Cancels Flights, Lady Gaga
Like this Story? Share it: (AP) Heavy snow on Sunday shut down European airport runways, forced fast trains to slow down and left cars skidding through icy, slushy streets on a weekend where many people were trying to head home for the holidays. Travelers camped out at airports overnight. London's Heathrow Airport stopped accepting arrivals Sunday, causing havoc at the start of the Christmas travel rush. About 40 percent of flights were canceled at Frankfurt airport and Paris' Charles de Gaulle...

Europe's snow cancels flights _ and Lady Gaga show
PARIS - Heavy snow on Sunday shut down European airport runways, forced fast trains to slow down and left cars skidding through icy, slushy streets on a weekend where many people were trying to head home for the holidays. Travelers camped out at airports overnight. London's Heathrow Airport stopped accepting arrivals Sunday, causing havoc at the start of the Christmas travel rush. About 40 percent of flights were canceled at Frankfurt airport and Paris' Charles de Gaulle. In the French cap...

Cold temperatures, snow blanket Europe
Published: Dec. 18, 2010 at 5:13 PM Freeze spares Fla. farmers Frankfurt, Germany, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Siberian air mass brought snow and cold Saturday to much of Europe, disrupting Air Traffic, halting high-speed trains and sheathing Roman fountains in ice. While Britain and Ireland were hardest hit, frigid temperatures blanketed the continent, CNN reported. Thousands of people were stuck at major airports like Frankfurt and Amsterdam's Schiphol, and hundreds at the train station in Florence in ...

Heavy snow, cold disrupt travel across north Europe
BERLIN/London (Reuters) – Snow and freezing temperatures grounded flights and disrupted road and rail links across Northern Europe on Monday, stranding travelers and closing schools. Only one of two runways at London Heathrow, the world's busiest International Airport, was operating after a weekend snowstorm, forcing thousands to camp out in terminals. More than 1,000 flights at German airports in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin were canceled, disrupting business and Christmas holiday p...

Europe trapped in deep freeze
Provide feedback to the multimedia producers. Thank you. Your feedback was successfully sent. Video will begin in 5 seconds. What type of connection do you have? Your video format settings have been saved. Snow wreaks havoc on travellers across Western Europe on Sunday with thousands of flights cancelled. Paris: Much of Europe remained paralysed as a new wave of heavy snow and ice swept as far south as Italy, closing airports, roads and railway lines. Although a White Christmas appeared to be on...

Planes grounded, thousands of festive holidays ruined, drivers stranded for hours as another foot of snow falls on Britain
© PA Shovelling snow while it's still snowing: Workers at Heathrow try to clear the snow after all flights at the airport were grounded over the weekend Up to eight more inches of snow to fall today Severe delays on London Underground during rush hour Man dies after falling through ice on fishing lake BA cancels 70 of 130 departures and 89 of 133 arrivals this morning Eurostar urging passengers not to travel unless absolutely necessary Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports open but exp...

Snow hits flights, strands drivers in Europe
People walk past snow covered chairs and tables at a restaurant in Berlin. ... People disembark from a gondola on a snow covered quay in Venice. Rare snow... Heavy snow disrupted European Air Travel over the weekend and stranded hundreds of drivers in their cars as far south as Italy as a White Christmas appeared increasingly likely for many places. Britain was hit by more blizzards that shut its biggest airports on the busiest weekend for travellers before Christmas and hit road and rail traff...

Anger rises as travel havoc snarls Britain, Europe
LONDON — Frustrated travelers in Europe expressed fury Monday at transportation officials’ inability to clear snow and ice from planes, runways and high-speed train tracks, failings that have caused holiday Travel Chaos and fears that many will not get home in time for Christmas. The continent’s worst bottleneck was London’s Heathrow Airport, where thousands of travelers were stranded overnight as Flight Cancellations increased even as other major European airports resume...

Europe’s snow cancels flights, Lady Gaga show
London— Stranded travelers slept on makeshift beds at European airports Sunday as wintry weather caused travel havoc, dashing the hopes of those attempting to head away for the holidays by road, rail and air. It is almost inevitable that some cancelations and delays will continue through this week, potentially causing further disruption for many Christmas travelers, British travel industry group ABTA said. Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest hub for air passengers, stopped accepting arriv...

Winter disruptions turn travel bitter and chaotic...
LONDON – The Christmas travel season turned angry and chaotic Monday as British officials struggled to clear snow and ice that paralyzed rail and air links and spawned cancellations and delays stranding thousands around the world. More than 48 hours after Britain's last Snowfall, some furious passengers with boarding passes for Monday flights were not even allowed into London's Heathrow Airport. Inside, piles of garbage grew and some people slept on terminal floors. Other travelers waited ...

Heavy Snow Hits Air Travel, Roads in Europe
© AP Photo/Alastair Grant A Pedestrian walks a dog during a snow-fall in Central London, Saturday, Dec., 18, 2010. Heavy snow on Sunday shut down European airport runways, forced fast trains to slow down and left cars skidding through icy, slushy streets on a weekend where many people were trying to head home for the holidays. London's Heathrow Airport stopped accepting arrivals. Frankfurt airport canceled around 40 percent of flights. Paris' Charles de Gaulle cut Air Traffic by a quart...

Airports hit by 'knock-on' effect
Air passengers in Scotland have been hit by the knock-on effect of airport closures at major hubs in England, despite Scottish runways staying open. Aberdeen Airport said about a quarter of its flights were cancelled because of the weather disrupting Heathrow. Glasgow and Edinburgh airports also had many delays and cancellations. Despite heavy snow falls, particularly in the north east, Scotland has not been as badly affected as it was by the weather two weeks ago. Officials at Heathrow Airport ...

Conditions 'worst in 25 years'
The Roads Service NI network manager has said the recent cold spell is "the worst prolonged conditions I have experienced" in 25 years. Temperatures in NI dipped to the lowest on record with -18C recorded at Castlederg, Co Tyrone, on Sunday night. The Met Office has said the minimum temperature on Monday night is likely to be -15C. The Roads Service's Colin Brown said they have been facing "an enormous challenge" to keep main roads open. "Forecasts are indicating t...

Winter disruptions turn travel bitter and chaotic in Europe
LONDON (AP) — The Christmas travel season turned angry and chaotic Monday as British officials struggled to clear snow and ice that paralyzed rail and air links and spawned cancellations and delays stranding thousands around the world. More than 48 hours after Britain's last Snowfall, some furious passengers with boarding passes for Monday flights were not even allowed into London's Heathrow Airport. Inside, piles of garbage grew and some people slept on terminal floors. Other travelers wai...

England set for coldest-ever night as big freeze destroys travel plans for millions
With England in the icy grip of the Coldest December for a century, the temperature is set to drop to a record low, with more snow forecast in the coming days. Last night, the temperature in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, fell to -19.6C, and experts believe a combination of snow-covered ground, clear skies and the shortest day of the year could produce a sub -26C thermometer reading tomorrow. The previous record low of -26.1C, set in Shropshire in January 1982, could be eclipsed at an inland area tha...

Delays until Christmas as snow returns to UK
Luggage at St Pancras. Air and Eurostar services have been hit by Bad Weather, and more delays are expected. Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images Heathrow Airport could remain in a state of partial paralysis beyond Christmas, its owner admitted today, spelling misery for the tens of thousands of passengers who face the prospect of being stranded over the festive period. BAA said two-thirds of flights into and out of Britain's largest airport would be cancelled until at least Wednesday ...

Cold weather snarls European travel
Erik Kirschbaum, Reuters · Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 Berlin, Dec 20 — Heavy snow and frigid temperatures caused further disruption across Northern Europe on Monday — stranding travellers, snarling traffic and shutting schools. More than 1,000 flights at Germany’s main airports in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin were cancelled and many more delayed after up to 40 centimetres of fresh snow blanketed the country. Some 500 stranded passengers slept on cots at Frankfurt airport. Airli...