Heavy snow in Europe causes travel chaos

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 16:45

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled at airports in Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, France and the Netherlands. In Poland, cold weather is hampering train service.



To the south, in Bulgaria, nearly a metre of snow was reported on Friday. The main highway and airport in Varna was closed for several hours.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 16:46

Simon Calder, a travel writer for The Independent newspaper, said Heathrow usually handles more international travellers than any other airport in the world.



'That means just from [British Airways] alone, we are certainly going to see 20,000 or so people booked on long-haul flights who won't be travelling out of London. And everywhere from Nairobi to Entebbe to Cape Town to Los Angeles people who are stranded, trying to get back to Britain won't be travelling either," he said.



The airline said it expected flights would remain grounded for much of the day.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 16:47

Travellers are being warned to expect severe travel disruptions all day Saturday across Europe because of heavy snow and freezing temperatures.



London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports have closed because of snow and ice, and British Airways has suspended all domestic and European flights.



At Gatwick, dozens of snowplows were deployed Friday in an effort to clear the airport's runway before operations were shut down.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 16:48

Bill - so, if Heathrow is still closed come Friday, what time do you want us at yours?



Jean

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 16:54

Have a good holiday Jean. I'm so pleased that Paul will have a break from cooking. )

Chelpet


Joined: 10/03/2010
Posts: 253

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 17:01

You want to try it at the sharp end Bill, missus went out 5 hrs ago to travel 6miles she rang to say she was on her way back it had taken 3 hours to travel half a mile, it reminds of that saying "I may be some while"





Peter

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 17:03

Peter, or - "I'll be back in a minute" )

lovingcyprus


Joined: 02/03/2007
Posts: 1272

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 17:22

The runway at Gatwick airport re-opened at 14.45 hrs on 18 December

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 17:30

Our daughter was due to fly with Cyprus Airways from Heathrow to Larnaca leaving at 14.50 UK time. She's just phoned to say the flight has been cancelled along with the 09.45 flight. They are hoping to put on extra flights tomorrow.

PaulW



Joined: 20/07/2009
Posts: 651

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 17:49

Message 5, Bill have you forgotten we are going self catering, I still be sweating over a hot oven . That's if we get there.

Paul

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 18:12

That's a shame Paul. Jeans a lucky woman. )

rick1


Joined: 20/04/2010
Posts: 44

Message Posted:
18/12/2010 18:35

Birmingham Airport closed. I live about 12 miles south west of the airport and all our main roads and side roads are covered in snow and empty of cars, very quite.



Hope to fly to Egypt (booked one day course for misses, "swimming with sharks") on Monday from Birmingham, might have to buy a turkey if we cant take off.

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
19/12/2010 22:10

more snow forecast..

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
19/12/2010 22:27

Bloody horrible and cold here...more snow on the ay...

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
19/12/2010 22:31

Sorry....fingers not working properly........more snow on the way...

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 00:31

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/8

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 10:03

All this snow is causing chaos in the TRNC as there is no Premiership football to watch at The Paradise sports bar.

Michael

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 10:13

michael, its not just the football that it effects here. We have customers booked in for christmas day, a party of 10. They got stuck in snow last year and coulsdnt get here. I fear this will happen again this year. Hope you and your family have a great christmas xxx

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 10:42

Still chaos at Heathrow - they have had to stop people entering the buildings if they aren't on a flight list for today. Cyprus Airways rebooked our daughter for 09.45 flight which is now delayed until 14.30 even though the incoming flight landed on time.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 12:25

Got friends who are stuck in Paris - en route to Majorca.. they've given up and are driving to Spain ...

apc2010


Joined: 28/07/2010
Posts: 1689

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 14:18

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12034317

flossie44


Joined: 05/03/2009
Posts: 223

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:14

People are always going on about the rotten weather in Manchester but our weather has been much better than most areas of the UK. A bit of snow, very cold but no transport problems. Makes a welcome change.



flossie

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:26

I think there's too much fuss made about the weather after all it's only weather! )

sloan



Joined: 24/02/2009
Posts: 808

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:29

Got back to Manchester from Larnaca yesterday, with a 1 hour 40 minutes delay. Larnaca was teeming with people from the TRNC. We met several people we knew... and several that we didn't know before, but do now. We thought we might be diverted because of fog, but in fact it was a really good landing. The staff at Manchester Airport were fantastic. I am so pleased we chose it as we were going to Gatwick.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:30

Britain's airports have been badly hit by snow and ice, meaning hundreds of flights have been grounded



Why has no one ever thought of making Indoor Airports    

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:32

Message to Drivers; going out in this weather is really dangerous. Have a few drinks to steady your nerves first.    

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:39

message 25.........as you say why hasnt anyone thought of making indoor airports??? beggers belief eh???????? Take the idea to Dragon's den, sure they would be interested in your idea....hehe, Happy Christmas!!

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:41

Shrimp. I think I could be on a winner. I hope no one beats me to it. )

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 20:42

Sheila Sloan, so glad you made it back. We were talking about you yesterday, Lee and Toots and I. hoping that you did. A very happy christmas to you both and your family xxxxxx

shrimp


Joined: 01/09/2010
Posts: 939

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 21:03

No1doyen your secret is safe with me.....

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 21:31

Thanks Shrimp. )

Blackbird



Joined: 11/08/2009
Posts: 1432

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 21:47

Re message 25 & 27.........I'm out....

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
20/12/2010 21:56

) ) )

sloan



Joined: 24/02/2009
Posts: 808

Message Posted:
21/12/2010 03:06

Happy Christmas to you, too, Liz and your family, Lee and Jan, Toots etc and everyone else that we know in the TRNC. English news is full of the weather crisis. Hope flights each way resume as soon as possble and that everybody is where they hoped to be for Christmas. xx

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
21/12/2010 09:13

Bill,



Why aren't the runways heated.... some football pitches seem to manage... OK it would only be needed from time to time but blimey the chaos bad weather causes has got to make you think there must be a better way.



Apparently the Germans have some heavy machinery that can re-open a frozen airport runway in ten minutes!



Our daughter is home now... flight arrived at 10pm last night! Hooray, Christmas is back on... Fatted calf is looking suitably nervous.

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
21/12/2010 11:53

No 1 Doyen. I do not think indoor airports work well. In 1992 a passenger aircraft landed and parked in a "block at flats" at Schiphol airport. This tragedy caused the death of 43 people primarily illegal immigrants within the block of flats. It was later said that the black box revealed the last radio message of the pilot was "hello control, this is flight four Xray Alpha Xray Golf, reference your last, you are distorted, say again all after "A flock of bats" !! Now that British Harriers are mothballed it seems that only those who see alien UFOs will witness vertical take off and landing. Wouln't it be great if the new super European Jumbo jets could have a £10 modification which gave a vertical take off and landing capability. I think we should mute the idea so that the Yanks take the bait and print more dollars than they can afford, to provide this faciity and make all large airports worldwide redundant !

jakki



Joined: 23/10/2007
Posts: 865

Message Posted:
21/12/2010 14:20

Family are due from Paris (Eurostar) on Thursday - but one of them living in Rotterdam is now unable to trave from Brussels.



A train travelling to Maidstone (Kent) was stuck over night - travellers were rescued around 3.00am. it's all gone a bit mad!!!

dataman


Joined: 14/06/2010
Posts: 61

Message Posted:
21/12/2010 23:27

and your point is what honeylips ?