Berlin’s main gateway, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), suspended all departures and most arrivals on the evening of 5 February after a sudden band of freezing rain coated runways and taxiways with a layer of black ice. Airport operations came to a standstill shortly after 18:00 CET when de-icing crews reported that glycol spray was freezing before it could take effect, rendering aircraft unsafe for take-off. (thelocal.de)
More than 120 flights were cancelled within three hours, affecting an estimated 18,000 passengers. Lufthansa and easyJet—the field’s two largest operators—diverted inbound services to Leipzig/Halle and Dresden, while long-haul partners, including Qatar Airways and United, delayed departures to the morning of 6 February. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn waived exchange fees for passengers holding BER rail-fly combination tickets, but warned that its own services were suffering speed reductions on the high-speed line to Hannover.
The German Weather Service (DWD) maintained its highest ice warning (level 3) for the capital until 03:00 CET on 6 February, cautioning travellers that conditions could worsen if temperatures dropped further. The airport’s contingency plan calls for a staggered reopening once surface temperatures rise above −6 °C for at least 30 minutes; officials said a first inspection would take place at 23:30 CET.
![Black-ice shuts Berlin Brandenburg Airport, crippling air links just before weekend rush]()
While passengers scramble to reroute through unfamiliar hubs, it’s wise to double-check whether an unexpected stop might trigger new visa or transit requirements. VisaHQ’s quick online tool (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams verify entry rules in minutes and, where necessary, secure emergency e-visas or transit permits—an invaluable safeguard when weather chaos forces last-minute itinerary changes.
For corporate mobility managers the disruption comes at a difficult moment: many expatriates were due to fly home for the pre-Carnival long weekend beginning Friday. Travel managers are scrambling to re-book itineraries via Frankfurt and Warsaw, while several multinationals with offices in Adlershof have authorised rail or rental-car alternatives for intra-European trips scheduled through BER. HR teams are advising travellers to keep boarding passes and delay confirmations to expedite EU261 compensation claims once the weather exemption is lifted.
Although weather-related groundings are exempt from mandatory compensation, airlines must still provide meals and, if necessary, hotel accommodation. Mobility practitioners should therefore remind employees to keep receipts for incidental expenses that often fall outside airline vouchers—such as extra taxi rides to Brandenburg’s sparse hotel strip.
More than 120 flights were cancelled within three hours, affecting an estimated 18,000 passengers. Lufthansa and easyJet—the field’s two largest operators—diverted inbound services to Leipzig/Halle and Dresden, while long-haul partners, including Qatar Airways and United, delayed departures to the morning of 6 February. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn waived exchange fees for passengers holding BER rail-fly combination tickets, but warned that its own services were suffering speed reductions on the high-speed line to Hannover.
The German Weather Service (DWD) maintained its highest ice warning (level 3) for the capital until 03:00 CET on 6 February, cautioning travellers that conditions could worsen if temperatures dropped further. The airport’s contingency plan calls for a staggered reopening once surface temperatures rise above −6 °C for at least 30 minutes; officials said a first inspection would take place at 23:30 CET.
While passengers scramble to reroute through unfamiliar hubs, it’s wise to double-check whether an unexpected stop might trigger new visa or transit requirements. VisaHQ’s quick online tool (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams verify entry rules in minutes and, where necessary, secure emergency e-visas or transit permits—an invaluable safeguard when weather chaos forces last-minute itinerary changes.
For corporate mobility managers the disruption comes at a difficult moment: many expatriates were due to fly home for the pre-Carnival long weekend beginning Friday. Travel managers are scrambling to re-book itineraries via Frankfurt and Warsaw, while several multinationals with offices in Adlershof have authorised rail or rental-car alternatives for intra-European trips scheduled through BER. HR teams are advising travellers to keep boarding passes and delay confirmations to expedite EU261 compensation claims once the weather exemption is lifted.
Although weather-related groundings are exempt from mandatory compensation, airlines must still provide meals and, if necessary, hotel accommodation. Mobility practitioners should therefore remind employees to keep receipts for incidental expenses that often fall outside airline vouchers—such as extra taxi rides to Brandenburg’s sparse hotel strip.
