Severe Atlantic weather systems continue to pummel Europe, triggering what aviation data analysts describe as the region’s biggest single-day disruption of the winter. By 18:00 CET on 14 February, live-tracking platform FlightAware had logged 1,308 delays and 52 cancellations at major European airports, according to calculations published by industry portal Travel & Tour World.
Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle alone accounted for 183 delays and seven cancellations, while Orly added a further 100 delayed departures. Ground operations struggled with high winds, saturated taxiways and runway surface-water checks, compounding staffing gaps caused by earlier strike action. Similar scenes were reported in Madrid, Amsterdam, Oslo and London Heathrow, underscoring just how inter-connected European aviation has become.
Low-cost heavyweights easyJet and Transavia were hardest hit, but full-service carriers Air France and KLM cancelled selected short-haul services to preserve aircraft and crew rosters. Airlines fear the backlog could spill over into early Sunday even if the weather improves because crews will “time out” under EU flight-time limitation rules. Companies moving project teams or rotating offshore staff into France should therefore consider contingency plans such as rail or car hire.
![More than 1,300 flights delayed across Europe; Paris hubs among worst hit]()
In addition, ensuring that travel documents remain valid amid last-minute rerouting is essential. VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can expedite Schengen visa processing, track passport validity and provide up-to-the-minute entry requirements for France and the wider region, giving travellers one less thing to worry about during weather-related upheavals.
The disruption also highlights a structural vulnerability ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) go-live on 9 April. Airport trade body ACI Europe warns that the extra seconds needed to capture each traveller’s biometrics could turn weather-related delays into multi-hour gridlock unless governments, including France, bolster border-police staffing.
Travel-risk consultants advise firms to remind employees of EU 261 compensation rights, keep boarding-pass records and use airline apps for self-rebooking. They also recommend booking flexible hotel rates near CDG or ORY for travellers connecting through Paris over the next 48 hours.
Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle alone accounted for 183 delays and seven cancellations, while Orly added a further 100 delayed departures. Ground operations struggled with high winds, saturated taxiways and runway surface-water checks, compounding staffing gaps caused by earlier strike action. Similar scenes were reported in Madrid, Amsterdam, Oslo and London Heathrow, underscoring just how inter-connected European aviation has become.
Low-cost heavyweights easyJet and Transavia were hardest hit, but full-service carriers Air France and KLM cancelled selected short-haul services to preserve aircraft and crew rosters. Airlines fear the backlog could spill over into early Sunday even if the weather improves because crews will “time out” under EU flight-time limitation rules. Companies moving project teams or rotating offshore staff into France should therefore consider contingency plans such as rail or car hire.
In addition, ensuring that travel documents remain valid amid last-minute rerouting is essential. VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can expedite Schengen visa processing, track passport validity and provide up-to-the-minute entry requirements for France and the wider region, giving travellers one less thing to worry about during weather-related upheavals.
The disruption also highlights a structural vulnerability ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) go-live on 9 April. Airport trade body ACI Europe warns that the extra seconds needed to capture each traveller’s biometrics could turn weather-related delays into multi-hour gridlock unless governments, including France, bolster border-police staffing.
Travel-risk consultants advise firms to remind employees of EU 261 compensation rights, keep boarding-pass records and use airline apps for self-rebooking. They also recommend booking flexible hotel rates near CDG or ORY for travellers connecting through Paris over the next 48 hours.
