A powerful winter storm sweeping across western and central Europe has brought heavy snowfall, icy conditions and travel disruption, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations and shutting down key transportation routes across the region. Major airports at Amsterdam’s Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly have seen significant flight cancellations as crews struggle to clear runways and de-ice aircraft amid persistent snow and freezing temperatures.
Travel chaos worsened this week as Storm Goretti, the first named storm of the year, intensified conditions across France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, prompting warnings from meteorological services and authorities to avoid unnecessary travel. Eurostar and other international rail services were also delayed or cancelled due to snow on tracks, while roads across France and northern Europe became treacherous with ice and drifting snow.
At Schiphol Airport, over 700 flights were cancelled, leaving many passengers stranded overnight as airport staff provided emergency shelter and accommodation. Authorities in several countries have issued weather alerts, with some regions advising residents to work from home and postpone travel plans until conditions improve. Weather forecasters say the cold snap and snowfall are rare for this time of year and could continue to disrupt travel and logistics across the continent.News as reported.
