Saturday, July 19, 2025
Persistent weather chaos has spawned an onslaught of fresh flight cancellations across Europe, affecting big players such as British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, among others. Powerful storms, thick fog, and poor visibility have caused widespread disruption at major hubs such as London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt. Passengers are experiencing widespread delays and last-minute cancellations as Europe’s busiest airports grapple with fallout. Here’s what you need to know about this emerging air travel crisis.
Airport Disruptions:
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport recorded 264 delayed flights and 54 cancellations today. The disruptions were primarily due to bad weather, including fog, low visibility, and rain, which significantly impacted flight operations during key hours of the day. Travelers faced extended wait times and operational hold-ups, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon when the airport was at its busiest.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport experienced 186 delays and 4 cancellations. Dense clouds and mist affected runway visibility, making it difficult to maintain smooth aircraft movements, particularly during early departures and evening arrivals.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport recorded 87 delayed flights and 6 cancellations, with operational delays caused by intermittent fog and light rainfall. Ground services and taxiing procedures were slower than usual due to poor visibility.
Frankfurt International Airport
Frankfurt International Airport saw 72 delays and 9 cancellations, mostly attributed to weather-induced arrival spacing and reduced departure efficiency. Moderate rain and cloud cover further challenged flight scheduling throughout the day.
Madrid-Barajas Airport
Madrid-Barajas Airport logged 49 delays and 2 cancellations. Weather disruptions included low-lying fog and moderate precipitation, which slowed gate turnovers and extended taxi-out times for departing flights.
Barcelona El Prat Airport
Barcelona El Prat Airport experienced 110 delays and 1 cancellation. Sudden showers and varying visibility levels created ground congestion, affecting domestic and European short-haul routes.
Zurich Airport
Zurich Airport saw 66 delayed flights and 4 cancellations. Persistent rain and low cloud ceilings reduced runway throughput and increased holding patterns for inbound aircraft during peak operating hours.
Munich Airport
Munich Airport recorded 59 delays and 9 cancellations, caused by wet runways and visibility issues that compounded as the day progressed. Schedule reliability dropped during afternoon operations.
Rome Fiumicino Airport
Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport experienced 67 delays and 6 cancellations. Overcast skies and brief thunderstorms contributed to uneven aircraft handling and late pushbacks at several terminals.
Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Airport recorded 29 delayed flights and 1 cancellation today. The disruptions were primarily due to bad weather, including fog, low visibility, and rain, which significantly impacted flight operations during key hours of the day. Travelers faced extended wait times and operational hold-ups, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon when the airport was at its busiest.
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport reported 42 flight delays and 1 cancellation. Persistent drizzle and early morning fog led to taxi delays and operational congestion, affecting both domestic and international connections.
Lisbon Airport
Lisbon Airport experienced 81 delays and no cancellations. While conditions did not force flight cancellations, mist and scattered showers caused significant slowdowns, especially during afternoon operations.
Oslo Gardermoen Airport
Oslo Gardermoen Airport saw 34 delays and 4 cancellations due to intermittent fog and low ceiling conditions. The weather reduced visibility on approach and departure routes, causing a ripple effect across inbound flights.
Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport faced 57 delays and 3 cancellations. Wet weather and runway congestion during high-traffic windows created multiple ground handling delays and gate reassignments.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport logged 61 delays and 1 cancellation. Light rain, along with occasional mist, reduced aircraft movement speeds and contributed to departure backlogs throughout the afternoon.
Athens Airport
Athens International Airport recorded 73 delays and 2 cancellations. Despite being in Southern Europe, early morning fog and low visibility affected long-haul and regional schedules, especially on eastern arrival corridors.
Stockholm Arlanda Airport
Stockholm Arlanda Airport reported 18 delayed flights and 4 cancellations. Low cloud coverage and poor visibility impacted departures and caused rerouting issues for connecting services.
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport had 23 delays and no cancellations. Cold morning fog and lingering mist created complications in takeoff sequencing, slowing the movement of aircraft through the airport’s primary runways.
Prague Václav Havel Airport
Prague Václav Havel Airport experienced 22 delays and 2 cancellations. Light but persistent rain, along with high humidity and visibility drops, led to ongoing operational adjustments throughout the day.
Comprehensive Overview of Flight Disruptions at Key Airports Today
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Total Delays: 264
Total Cancellations: 54
Airlines Affected:
British Airways: 212 delays (32%)
Lufthansa: 5 delays (11%)
Virgin Atlantic: 2 delays (3%)
Swiss: 2 delays (9%)
Eurowings: 3 delays (33%)
Finnair: 2 delays (20%)
Vueling Airlines: 3 delays (30%)
American Airlines: 2 delays (4%)
Air France: 3 delays (18%)
Air India: 1 delay (9%)
And many more…
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Total Delays: 186
Total Cancellations: 4
Airlines Affected:
Air France: 75 delays (12%)
Delta Air Lines: 4 delays (14%)
easyJet: 30 delays (44%)
HOP!: 28 delays (18%)
British Airways: 5 delays (71%)
ITA Airways: 3 delays (30%)
KLM: 3 delays (150%)
Transavia: 2 delays (25%)
Vueling Airlines: 1 delay (7%)
And many more…
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Total Delays: 87
Total Cancellations: 6
Airlines Affected:
KLM: 40 delays (6%)
easyJet: 8 delays (11%)
Transavia: 4 delays (3%)
Vueling Airlines: 5 delays (12%)
Turkish Airlines: 2 delays (12%)
Delta Air Lines: 3 delays (8%)
Air Baltic: 2 delays (13%)
LOT Polish Airlines: 2 delays (25%)
And many more…
Frankfurt International Airport (FRA)
Total Delays: 72
Total Cancellations: 9
Airlines Affected:
Lufthansa: 30 delays (4%)
Condor: 7 delays (6%)
Discover: 4 delays (6%)
TAP Air Portugal: 2 delays (33%)
easyJet: 2 delays (25%)
KLM: 2 delays (33%)
Turkish Airlines: 2 delays (15%)
And many more…
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Total Delays: 49
Total Cancellations: 2
Airlines Affected:
Iberia: 13 delays (5%)
Air Nostrum: 6 delays (3%)
Ryanair: 3 delays (2%)
Air Europa: 3 delays (2%)
Air Europa Express: 2 delays (3%)
Wizz Air Malta: 3 delays (20%)
And many more…
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN)
Total Delays: 110
Total Cancellations: 1
Airlines Affected:
Vueling Airlines: 35 delays (8%)
easyJet: 18 delays (43%)
Ryanair: 15 delays (9%)
British Airways: 7 delays (53%)
Delta Air Lines: 3 delays (37%)
Transavia France: 2 delays (40%)
Wizz Air Malta: 3 delays (14%)
And many more…
Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Total Delays: 66
Total Cancellations: 4
Airlines Affected:
Swiss: 22 delays (8%)
Helvetic: 12 delays (11%)
KLM: 4 delays (40%)
easyJet: 3 delays (30%)
Condor: 2 delays (20%)
TAP Air Portugal: 2 delays (28%)
Vueling Airlines: 2 delays (50%)
And many more…
Munich Airport (MUC)
Total Delays: 59
Total Cancellations: 9
Airlines Affected:
Lufthansa: 17 delays (5%)
Lufthansa Cityline: 11 delays (8%)
easyJet: 1 delay (16%)
Sun Express: 2 delays (8%)
City Airlines: 3 delays (7%)
Pegasus Airlines: 1 delay (10%)
And many more…
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Total Delays: 67
Total Cancellations: 6
Airlines Affected:
ITA Airways: 20 delays (7%)
easyJet: 6 delays (25%)
Vueling Airlines: 5 delays (13%)
British Airways: 7 delays (38%)
United Airlines: 2 delays (14%)
Ryanair: 3 delays (2%)
And many more…
Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Total Delays: 49
Total Cancellations: 1
Airlines Affected:
Lauda Europe: 5 delays (6%)
Ryanair: 3 delays (7%)
Air Baltic: 4 delays (22%)
Vueling Airlines: 2 delays (100%)
Wizz Air Malta: 2 delays (8%)
Turkish Airlines: 1 delay (6%)
And many more…
And many more airports were also affected by the massive weather disruptions across the region. Delays and cancellations impacted global air travel, highlighting the vulnerability of aviation operations to changing weather conditions and increased air traffic.
Conclusion
The widespread chaos at Europe’s largest international airports underlines the reality that air travel remains extremely susceptible to bad weather. The disruption caused travel misery for thousands of passengers flying from London to Athens, and from Paris to Helsinki, with 1,563 flights delayed or cancelled in total. Inclement weather of fog, rain and low visibility leading to knock on delays during busy periods. Although the number of cancellations was relatively small, the extent of the delays sheds the spotlight on risks associated with the practice of relying on such contingent plans by both airports and airlines. As Europe’s peak summer travel period is in full swing, passengers are urged to get real-time updates and to prepare for possible schedule changes. c
