Heavy snowfall cancels flights in Munich
January 5, 2019
At least 120 flights were canceled and some 70 delayed by an hour or more at Munich Airport, an airport spokeswoman told DW on Saturday. The officials at Germany's second-largest airport were forced to disrupt the flight schedule due to heavy snowfall since Friday.
"Right now, it is difficult to estimate if there are going to be more cancellations during the day," spokeswoman Kathrin Stangl told DW. "We need to wait and see how the weather changes."
The airport advises passengers to inquire about their flight status with their respective airlines.
One of the reasons for the delay is that all the planes at the airport are being de-iced, according to the AFP news agency. The airport authorities are also keeping only one of the two runways operational while the other one is being cleaned.
Air traffic control also imposed restrictions due to decreased visibility.
Originally, the airport had around 850 flights scheduled for Saturday.
Trains disrupted too
The snowfall in Munich is expected to continue.
Separately, regional Bavarian railway company Waldbahn reported that it was forced to completely halt its trains due to severe weather. Several trees fell down under the weight of snow and blocked the rails, and the cleanup would only be possible after the conditions improve, they said.
dj/amp (AFP, dpa)