On Wednesday, December 14th, well over 100 flights had to be canceled at Munich International Airport (MUC) due to freezing rain conditions. The freezing rain created a dangerous situation on the airfield as runways were quickly coated with a solid layer of ice. MUC is not the only German airport to suffer flight disruptions at the hands of mother nature; Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has also experienced weather bad enough to cancel and delay many flights.

Sweeping flight cancelations

Throughout the afternoon of the 14th, MUC suffered the heaviest amount of freezing rain, which made the runways extremely hazardous for aircraft. In all, 133 flights were canceled due to the rain. At approximately 18:00 local time, flights to and from the airport resumed. However, flight disruptions continued into Thursday morning, with the weather continuing to hinder operations in the region. The schedule disruptions have set airlines back heavily, putting them in a position of playing catch-up as they work to get passengers to their final destinations.

MUC officials have informed the public that they should leave home sooner than usual and make time in their schedules for delays amid the adverse weather conditions. Passengers traveling during this busy time of year should anticipate that if their flight gets canceled, it will take time before they can be placed on another flight as holiday travelers continue to crowd airports and available flights. Despite the best efforts of airlines and airport officials, delays and cancelations have become a prolific part of holiday travel in the region this year.

Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.

Shared burden

Adverse winter conditions have also heavily plagued FRA. Continued snowstorms across the region have forced cancelations and delays of many flights to and from the airport. These disruptions, which were most prominent on the 14th, have bled over into the 15th as flights continue to be canceled. Lufthansa alone has seen over a dozen cancelations at the airport Thursday morning. Airport officials have also issued a notice to passengers advising them to take extra time to prepare for flight delays and to double-check flight status before they leave for the airport.

While the airfield has not yet needed to be closed down entirely, it has been challenging to keep flights operating at FRA. Ground personnel has been working around the clock at MUC and FRA to ensure that flight operations continue through the winter storms. Snow removal crews must continuously operate to ensure that the airports are safe to land and taxi. These snow removal efforts ensure that flight operations continue at the airport; however, they also cause brief flight delays as Air Traffic Control (ATC) periodically closes a runway and keeps air traffic off of it so that the snowplows may clear it off.

Continent crippling storm

The storms disrupting operations at FRA and MUC are a part of a much larger series of storms ravaging the European continent. Airports across the continent have been adversely affected by the storms, with UK airports arguably bearing the worst winter has to offer. Many airports, including London Heathrow (LHR) and London Gatwick (LGW), have struggled to keep runways clear. This led to delays and temporary runway closures, further prompting flight cancelations.

Airplane Silhouette Landing on Snowy Runway
Photo: Getty Images

Things have been improving at these airports as many flights have resumed. However, the weather continues to be far from ideal in most areas, and airlines are backlogged with passengers who still need to reach their final destinations.

What do you think of these flight cancelations at Munich Airport? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: euronews.travel

  • Munich Airport Skeleton
    Munich Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    MUC/EDDM
    Country:
    Germany
    CEO:
    Jost Lammers
    Passenger Count :
    12,496,432 (2021)
    Runways :
    08R/26L - 4,000m (13,123ft) | 08L/26R - 4,000m (13,123ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal 1 | Terminal 2
  • Tom Boon-069
    Frankfurt Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    FRA/EDDF
    CEO:
    Stefan Schulte
    Passenger Count :
    24,814,921 (2020)
    Runways :
    07L/25R 2,800m (9,240ft) | 07C/25C 4,000m (13,123ft) | 07R/25L 4,000m (13,123ft) | 18 4,000m (13,123ft)
    Terminals:
    Lufthansa First Class Terminal | Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 (Under Construction)
    Country:
    Germany