Persistent freezing fog over Leinster forced airlines to cancel at least 69 outbound and 74 inbound flights on Friday night, followed by a further 50 cancellations on Saturday morning, disrupting thousands of passengers at Dublin Airport. While the runways remained open, carriers struggled to secure enough de-icing equipment and crews, prompting operator daa to warn travellers to check schedules before leaving home.
The disruption hit corporate itineraries hard, wiping out multiple early-morning rotations on key business routes to London, Frankfurt and New York. Mobility managers reported re-booking challenges because aircraft and crews became mis-positioned across Europe, tightening seat inventory ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving peak.
![Freezing Fog Triggers Two Days of Flight Cancellations at Dublin Airport]()
Meteorological agency Met Éireann issued a Status-Yellow fog warning for 11 counties, including Dublin, Kildare and Meath, valid from 05:00-10:00 on Saturday (22 November). Conditions are expected to improve slowly, but a renewed cold snap next week could create a fresh round of icing challenges.
For employers, the episode underscores the importance of real-time travel tracking tools and contingency budgets. Some firms activated work-from-home protocols for staff stranded abroad; others shifted meetings online. Travel suppliers say they will review de-icing capacity after multiple winters of similar disruptions.
The disruption hit corporate itineraries hard, wiping out multiple early-morning rotations on key business routes to London, Frankfurt and New York. Mobility managers reported re-booking challenges because aircraft and crews became mis-positioned across Europe, tightening seat inventory ahead of the U.S. Thanksgiving peak.
Meteorological agency Met Éireann issued a Status-Yellow fog warning for 11 counties, including Dublin, Kildare and Meath, valid from 05:00-10:00 on Saturday (22 November). Conditions are expected to improve slowly, but a renewed cold snap next week could create a fresh round of icing challenges.
For employers, the episode underscores the importance of real-time travel tracking tools and contingency budgets. Some firms activated work-from-home protocols for staff stranded abroad; others shifted meetings online. Travel suppliers say they will review de-icing capacity after multiple winters of similar disruptions.
