Home » AIRLINE NEWS » Over 59 Flight Cancellations and 392 Delays Create Immense Travel Havoc Across Paris, Malpensa, and Oslo as Major Airlines Like Lufthansa, SAS, EasyJet, Air France, and Finnair Suspend Flights In Italy, France, and Norway
Published on
February 27, 2026
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Over 59 flight cancellations and 392 delays have created unprecedented travel chaos across Paris, Malpensa, and Oslo, primarily due to severe weather conditions and operational challenges faced by airlines such as Lufthansa, Finnair, EasyJet, Air France, and SAS. These disruptions, which have grounded flights and caused significant delays, were mainly triggered by adverse weather, including snowstorms, high winds, and poor visibility, compounded by logistical bottlenecks and technical issues at key airports. As a result, thousands of passengers across Europe have faced frustration and uncertainty, with major European hubs struggling to cope with the surge in disruptions.
Europe’s airports were thrown into disarray with significant disruptions in Paris, Malpensa, and Oslo. Over the past 24 hours, travellers across the continent faced a staggering 59 flight cancellations and 392 delays yesterday. These disruptions primarily affected three major airports — Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, Malpensa International Airport in Milan, and Oslo Gardermoen Airport. Several prominent airlines, including Lufthansa, Finnair, EasyJet, Air France, and SAS, were among those impacted, grounding flights and creating travel chaos for thousands of passengers. Below is a comprehensive analysis of the situation, with insights into the causes of these cancellations and delays, as well as a breakdown of the affected airlines and their specific disruptions.
Weather Challenges: The Primary Culprit Behind the Chaos
The primary reason for the widespread flight disruptions in these airports was adverse weather conditions, which wreaked havoc on operations across Italy, France, and Norway. Bad weather, including heavy snowstorms, reduced visibility, and strong winds, significantly hampered the smooth functioning of several major European airports. The severe weather led to delays in flight operations, limited visibility for both arrivals and departures, and difficulty in de-icing aircraft, especially at airports like Malpensa and Oslo Gardermoen.
Operational Challenges: Airlines Struggling to Keep Pace
In addition to weather-related issues, many airlines faced operational challenges, including logistical delays caused by over-scheduled slots and crew-related problems. These operational hiccups were compounded by understaffed airports and flight crews being unable to catch up with the massive wave of delays. As airlines scrambled to accommodate delayed passengers, operational bottlenecks ensued, further escalating the situation. Both Air France and SAS found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of affected passengers.
Additional Disruptions: Airline-Specific Issues
SAS, a major Scandinavian carrier, reported a particularly high number of cancellations at Oslo Gardermoen due to operational challenges. They had difficulty reallocating aircraft to stranded passengers while dealing with ongoing technical issues. Air France, already burdened with a high number of delays, reported issues stemming from equipment maintenance and staffing shortages, resulting in grounding some of their flights from Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Breakdown of Cancellations and Delays by Airline and Airport
The situation was fluid, with airlines continuously adjusting to the evolving circumstances. Below is a detailed breakdown of cancellations and delays from the main affected airlines and airports:
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Cancellations and Delays at Malpensa International Airport (MXP)AirlineCancellationsPercentageDelaysPercentageeasyJet1512%108%Ryanair44%1213%SAS360%00%Iberia350%00%Helvetic250%125%Air France225%112%Aeroitalia00%19%Air India00%150%All Nippon00%1100%Lufthansa Cityline00%250%Air Serbia00%120%Condor00%125%Eurowings00%333%
Malpensa International, one of Italy’s busiest airports, bore the brunt of these disruptions, with easyJet and Ryanair leading the charge for both cancellations and delays. These two low-cost carriers have had trouble keeping their schedules on track due to the cumulative impact of weather and operational challenges.
Cancellations and Delays at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)AirlineCancellationsPercentageDelaysPercentageAir France30%9718%easyJet32%1312%SAS212%00%Qantas1100%00%Aegean Airlines00%150%Air India00%125%AeroMéxico00%225%Austrian Airlines00%150%Avianca00%250%Air Baltic00%120%Air China00%125%Hainan Airlines00%844%Finnair00%116%Delta Air Lines00%421%Lufthansa00%321%
Charles de Gaulle Airport, France’s largest and busiest international hub, saw a heavy concentration of delays, especially on Air France and easyJet flights. A combination of weather issues and operational inefficiencies led to this significant disruption. The situation was exacerbated by high passenger volumes, leading to a cascade of delays.
Cancellations and Delays at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (ENGM)AirlineCancellationsPercentageDelaysPercentageSAS199%3516%SAS Link24%1021%British Airways00%116%Lufthansa00%628%Danish Air Transport00%880%Finnair00%150%Icelandair00%2715%Norwegian Air Shuttle00%1922%Norwegian Air Sweden00%266%TAP Air Portugal00%150%Thai Airways00%720%Wideroe’s Flyveselskap00%1100%
Oslo Gardermoen, Norway’s main international gateway, experienced a particularly high number of cancellations from SAS, which contributed significantly to the total disruptions. The combination of bad weather and technical issues led to numerous delays, particularly for Scandinavian routes.
The combined impact of weather-related delays and operational challenges in Paris, Malpensa, and Oslo has left passengers stranded and frustrated across Europe. These disruptions have been particularly difficult for low-cost carriers like easyJet and Ryanair, which had to manage significant cancellations and delays. Lufthansa and Finnair were also impacted by operational and technical issues, making the situation even more challenging.
As airlines and airport authorities work to resolve the situation, passengers are urged to check the status of their flights and stay updated with their respective airlines for the latest information. Many passengers have been rebooked on later flights, while others have had to face the challenging task of rescheduling their travel plans altogether.
Moving forward, the focus will likely shift to improving operational resilience in the face of severe weather and minimizing the impact of operational delays. This unprecedented level of disruption has highlighted the vulnerabilities in European air travel, and it is likely that airlines will focus on refining their response mechanisms to avoid a repeat of this travel nightmare.
Over 59 flight cancellations and 392 delays have caused major travel disruptions across Paris, Malpensa, and Oslo due to severe weather conditions and operational challenges faced by airlines like Lufthansa, EasyJet, and SAS. Bad weather, including snowstorms and poor visibility, combined with logistical and staffing issues, have led to widespread flight groundings and delays at these major European airports.
As the recovery continues, travellers are advised to keep monitoring airport and airline updates and remain patient as the logistics of rebooking, rescheduling, and mitigating delays unfold in the days to come.
