Dublin Airport began the first working day of 2026 battling treacherous winter weather that forced airlines to cancel 50 departures and more than 50 inbound services in the early-morning peak. According to airport operator daa, the runways, taxiways and terminal approach roads were fully treated overnight, but persistent sub-zero temperatures and thick freezing fog meant many carriers could not complete de-icing procedures in time for scheduled push-back.
Airlines scrapped 23 outbound and 27 inbound flights between 05:00 and 10:00, affecting popular business routes to London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris. Aer Lingus’ EI602 to Amsterdam and Ryanair’s FR113 to London Stansted were among the first cancellations, with passengers re-routed onto later services or offered refunds. Long-haul departures to New York and Doha operated, but both pushed back more than an hour late after additional de-icing, illustrating the knock-on impact across the network.
daa spokesperson Graeme McQueen said staff had remained in both terminals throughout the night to help travellers re-book. “The airfield is open and fully operational, but de-icing is an airline responsibility and some carriers needed extra time in these exceptional conditions,” he explained, urging passengers to check flight status before leaving home.
![Freezing fog grounds dozens of flights at Dublin Airport]()
For those whose disrupted itineraries now involve unexpected connections or fresh transit requirements, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. The firm’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams arrange visas, e-visas and even passport renewals for over 200 destinations, ensuring documentation is in order before the next available flight.
While the Irish Aviation Authority confirmed that fog did not reduce runway visibility below safe limits, ground handlers struggled to keep aircraft free of ice as temperatures stayed at –4 °C. With Met Éireann forecasting another hard frost tonight, airline operations managers are bracing for rolling delays through the weekend. Companies with time-critical cargo and mobility managers moving assignees in or out of Ireland have been advised to build in contingency time and monitor re-bookings closely.
Business impact is likely to be felt most keenly by firms relying on same-day European hops for sales meetings and client pitches. Travel managers are also reminding staff to keep all receipts for additional accommodation and subsistence so that EU261 compensation claims can be processed swiftly once carriers confirm eligibility.
Airlines scrapped 23 outbound and 27 inbound flights between 05:00 and 10:00, affecting popular business routes to London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris. Aer Lingus’ EI602 to Amsterdam and Ryanair’s FR113 to London Stansted were among the first cancellations, with passengers re-routed onto later services or offered refunds. Long-haul departures to New York and Doha operated, but both pushed back more than an hour late after additional de-icing, illustrating the knock-on impact across the network.
daa spokesperson Graeme McQueen said staff had remained in both terminals throughout the night to help travellers re-book. “The airfield is open and fully operational, but de-icing is an airline responsibility and some carriers needed extra time in these exceptional conditions,” he explained, urging passengers to check flight status before leaving home.
For those whose disrupted itineraries now involve unexpected connections or fresh transit requirements, VisaHQ can simplify the paperwork. The firm’s digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams arrange visas, e-visas and even passport renewals for over 200 destinations, ensuring documentation is in order before the next available flight.
While the Irish Aviation Authority confirmed that fog did not reduce runway visibility below safe limits, ground handlers struggled to keep aircraft free of ice as temperatures stayed at –4 °C. With Met Éireann forecasting another hard frost tonight, airline operations managers are bracing for rolling delays through the weekend. Companies with time-critical cargo and mobility managers moving assignees in or out of Ireland have been advised to build in contingency time and monitor re-bookings closely.
Business impact is likely to be felt most keenly by firms relying on same-day European hops for sales meetings and client pitches. Travel managers are also reminding staff to keep all receipts for additional accommodation and subsistence so that EU261 compensation claims can be processed swiftly once carriers confirm eligibility.
