It has already been an abnormally freezing December across Europe and the cold snap has broken numerous meteorological records to date. The extreme weather has heavily disrupted business and brought major airports to a standstill, with roads in the north of the continent remaining treacherous.

Despite governmental efforts to strengthen infrastructure against snow and ice, parts of Europe have awoken today to a new forecast of yet more snow over the Christmas period.

The UK in particular has suffered massive disruptions, with severe rail delays and closures of airports in London and elsewhere. A gap in the forecasted snow has allowed workers to clear up much of Heathrow, but half of all flights are still experiencing calculations. Financial analysts have suggested that terminal closures are costing British Airways as much as £10m every day.

Criticisms have been levied at the handling of the travel chaos, with Scotland’s travel minister resigning and EU transport chief Siim Kallas stating that he may impose rules on airports so that they must display some level of preparedness in the face of extreme weather. BAA’s CEO Colin Matthews has claimed responsibility for much of the crisis and that he will not take his bonus at the end of the year, as urged by an airport workers’ union.

Elsewhere Volker Treier of Germany’s chamber of industry and commerce has predicted that the fourth-quarter growth in Germany is likely to be down half a percent, especially in the wake of construction cancellations and a sharp drop in freight transport.

A continued warning to drivers in affected parts of Europe is in place, urging those who don’t need to travel to stay at home. This comes at a time when millions are travelling over the holiday period.

Reported by Claire Blackhorne.

Back to the Tripbase News Homepage