Thick winter fog descended on Václav Havel Airport Prague for most of Monday, 15–16 December, forcing air-traffic controllers to switch to low-visibility procedures and widening separation minima. By 20:24 CET, live data showed 73 % of departures and 41 % of arrivals running late, with average delays of almost one hour. No flights were cancelled, but knock-on effects rippled through evening wave banks, pushing back British Airways, Jet2 and Ryanair services to key business hubs such as London, Birmingham and Naples.
The disruption hit at the worst possible moment: the pre-Christmas corporate-travel peak. Hundreds of executives transiting through Prague missed onward connections and had to re-book hotels at short notice. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, carriers are not obliged to pay cash compensation for weather-related delays, but they must still provide meals and refreshments after two hours—an obligation that strained airport catering facilities.
The episode underscores a structural vulnerability in Prague’s single-runway operation. A long-planned parallel runway equipped with CAT IIIb landing aids remains at least four years away. Until then, mobility-risk specialists advise corporates to schedule longer layovers for itineraries originating in the Czech capital between December and February and to keep critical cargo routings flexible.
![Severe Fog Triggers 70 % Departure Delays at Prague Airport on 16 December]()
Travel-management companies are telling clients to use airlines’ mobile apps for real-time gate alerts and to maintain up-to-date Schengen visas in case re-routing via Vienna, Munich or Leipzig becomes necessary.
Should unexpected rerouting require an overnight stay or a hop through a non-Schengen gateway, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork: its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) lets travelers and mobility teams secure Schengen visas, transit permits and passport photos in a single workflow, often within 24 hours. The service can be a lifesaver when weather disruptions force itinerary changes and documentation gaps threaten to strand staff or critical couriers.
Logistic managers shipping just-in-time components to Bavarian plants reported freight backlogs of up to five hours at the Skyport terminal.
While the fog lifted overnight, meteorologists warn that similar conditions are likely in the coming weeks. Companies with high volumes of holiday travel or time-sensitive shipments should review contingency plans now, industry consultants say.
The disruption hit at the worst possible moment: the pre-Christmas corporate-travel peak. Hundreds of executives transiting through Prague missed onward connections and had to re-book hotels at short notice. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, carriers are not obliged to pay cash compensation for weather-related delays, but they must still provide meals and refreshments after two hours—an obligation that strained airport catering facilities.
The episode underscores a structural vulnerability in Prague’s single-runway operation. A long-planned parallel runway equipped with CAT IIIb landing aids remains at least four years away. Until then, mobility-risk specialists advise corporates to schedule longer layovers for itineraries originating in the Czech capital between December and February and to keep critical cargo routings flexible.
Travel-management companies are telling clients to use airlines’ mobile apps for real-time gate alerts and to maintain up-to-date Schengen visas in case re-routing via Vienna, Munich or Leipzig becomes necessary.
Should unexpected rerouting require an overnight stay or a hop through a non-Schengen gateway, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork: its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) lets travelers and mobility teams secure Schengen visas, transit permits and passport photos in a single workflow, often within 24 hours. The service can be a lifesaver when weather disruptions force itinerary changes and documentation gaps threaten to strand staff or critical couriers.
Logistic managers shipping just-in-time components to Bavarian plants reported freight backlogs of up to five hours at the Skyport terminal.
While the fog lifted overnight, meteorologists warn that similar conditions are likely in the coming weeks. Companies with high volumes of holiday travel or time-sensitive shipments should review contingency plans now, industry consultants say.
