A brutal Arctic front sweeping south over the weekend has paralysed air travel across northern Europe, with cascading effects on UK business itineraries. Data from AirHelp show that on 13 January alone more than 900 departures were delayed and 230 cancelled, including scores of flights at London Heathrow and East Midlands. Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Oslo Gardermoen were among the hardest-hit hubs.
Heathrow implemented reduced schedules during de-icing operations, forcing British Airways to cancel primarily European short-haul services. Long-haul sectors were protected but many missed onward connections. Logistics analysts warned that crew-duty limits could cause rolling knock-on delays for at least 48 hours even after weather conditions normalise.
Rail and road transport also suffered, with National Highways reporting temporary closures on the M62 and A66 trans-Pennine routes due to drifting snow. The Met Office maintained amber warnings for snow and ice across large parts of England and Scotland through Wednesday.
![Arctic snowstorm grounds flights across Europe, disrupting business travel via Heathrow]()
Should itinerary changes mean travellers suddenly need new transit documents or extended visas, VisaHQ can step in quickly. Through its UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the company offers real-time entry-rule checks, fast e-visa processing and even courier collection for urgent passport renewals—taking at least one headache off the table while the weather keeps piling them on.
Corporate mobility managers are advising travellers to build in buffer days and consider remote alternatives for meetings. Under EU261 rules, the extreme weather constitutes an “extraordinary circumstance”, so passengers are entitled to care but not financial compensation.
Airlines are waiving change fees in most cases, but premium-seat availability is tight as disrupted travellers re-book. Companies tracking carbon budgets should note that weather-related diversion legs may increase total emissions for January travel.
Heathrow implemented reduced schedules during de-icing operations, forcing British Airways to cancel primarily European short-haul services. Long-haul sectors were protected but many missed onward connections. Logistics analysts warned that crew-duty limits could cause rolling knock-on delays for at least 48 hours even after weather conditions normalise.
Rail and road transport also suffered, with National Highways reporting temporary closures on the M62 and A66 trans-Pennine routes due to drifting snow. The Met Office maintained amber warnings for snow and ice across large parts of England and Scotland through Wednesday.
Should itinerary changes mean travellers suddenly need new transit documents or extended visas, VisaHQ can step in quickly. Through its UK portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/), the company offers real-time entry-rule checks, fast e-visa processing and even courier collection for urgent passport renewals—taking at least one headache off the table while the weather keeps piling them on.
Corporate mobility managers are advising travellers to build in buffer days and consider remote alternatives for meetings. Under EU261 rules, the extreme weather constitutes an “extraordinary circumstance”, so passengers are entitled to care but not financial compensation.
Airlines are waiving change fees in most cases, but premium-seat availability is tight as disrupted travellers re-book. Companies tracking carbon budgets should note that weather-related diversion legs may increase total emissions for January travel.
