Travellers across Europe faced major disruption today as airlines reported 160 cancellations and 3,298 delays across several key aviation hubs.
The disruption affected airports in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Italy, Denmark, England, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Greece and Spain. Major airports including Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Athens, Zurich, London Heathrow, Copenhagen, Rome Fiumicino, Madrid-Barajas, Berlin Brandenburg, Oslo Gardermoen, Prague Václav Havel and Budapest Ferenc Liszt were all impacted.
Airlines including Lufthansa, easyJet, British Airways, KLM, Ryanair, Aegean Airlines, SAS and Swiss were among the carriers facing the highest number of delays and cancellations.
Other airlines, including ITA Airways, Air France, Iberia, Air Europa, Norwegian Air Sweden and Virgin Atlantic, also experienced operational problems.
Storms And Backlogs Behind The Delays
The disruption followed severe thunderstorms and hail across parts of northwest Europe and southeast England.
Although weather conditions began improving in some areas, the earlier storms created knock-on problems across the aviation network.
Aircraft were left out of position, crews had to be rescheduled and airport operations slowed as major hubs worked through backlogs.
This meant that even after the worst of the weather had passed, delays continued to build across Europe.
Most Affected Airports
Frankfurt recorded the highest number of delayed flights, with 390 delays and 28 cancellations. The airport became one of Europe’s busiest disruption points as Lufthansa and other carriers worked to restore schedules.
Amsterdam Schiphol saw 347 delays and the highest number of cancellations, with 35 flights called off. KLM and other airlines operating through the Dutch hub were heavily affected.
Athens reported 337 delays and four cancellations, with Aegean Airlines, Sky Express and Olympic Air among the carriers facing disruption.
Zurich recorded 332 delays and 10 cancellations, affecting Swiss, Helvetic, Air Baltic and Eurowings services.
Palma de Mallorca saw 312 delays and three cancellations, while London Heathrow recorded 309 delays and 17 cancellations, with British Airways accounting for many of the affected flights.
Copenhagen also experienced significant disruption, with 285 delays and 14 cancellations, while Rome Fiumicino reported 267 delays and nine cancellations.
Madrid-Barajas registered 211 delays and six cancellations, while Berlin Brandenburg recorded 176 delays and 10 cancellations.
Airlines Facing The Most Disruption
Lufthansa was the most affected airline, with 214 delayed flights and 34 cancellations, especially across Frankfurt operations.
easyJet reported 212 delays and 12 cancellations, with problems spread across Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Athens and Palma de Mallorca.
British Airways recorded 210 delays and 13 cancellations, largely linked to disruption at London Heathrow.
KLM saw 167 delays and 31 cancellations, mostly concentrated at Amsterdam Schiphol.
Ryanair reported 155 delays across several European airports, including Rome, Palma de Mallorca, Madrid, Copenhagen, Athens and Berlin.
Aegean Airlines recorded 144 delays, mainly at Athens, while SAS faced 118 delays and 19 cancellations across Scandinavia and London Heathrow.
What Passengers Should Do
Passengers affected by the disruption should check their airline’s official website or app before travelling to the airport.
They should also monitor airport departure boards, keep boarding passes and receipts, and contact their airline quickly if rebooking is needed.
Travellers should allow extra time at the airport and remain alert for further changes, especially if flying through major hubs still recovering from weather-related disruption.
Conclusion
Europe’s flight network continued to face pressure after storms triggered delays, cancellations and operational backlogs across major airports.
With 3,298 delays and 160 cancellations reported, passengers travelling through Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schiphol, Athens, London Heathrow and other busy hubs should continue checking real-time flight updates before departure.
