Vienna airport paralysed by heavy snowfall, flights suspended

Operations at Vienna International Airport have been brought to a standstill after heavy snowfall swept across eastern Austria, preventing aircraft from taking off and landing.

Airport spokesperson Peter Kleemann said extreme weather conditions had made departures from Vienna impossible. He added that airport authorities were making every effort to restore operations as quickly as possible, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

According to current estimates, several departures could resume from around 9:00 a.m., while arrivals might be permitted starting at approximately 10:00 a.m. However, delays are expected to continue even after flights restart.

Kleemann explained that snowfall began at around 7:00 p.m. the previous evening. Since then, around 200 airport employees have been working with more than 100 pieces of equipment to clear snow and treat surfaces to prevent icing.

Over the past 12 hours, crews have removed approximately 1,000 truckloads of snow, amounting to an estimated 15,000 tonnes. The airport must clear an area of roughly 3 million square metres, including aprons, runways, taxiways, and all operational and transport zones, before normal flight operations can fully resume.

Authorities have advised passengers to check with their airlines for updates as the situation develops.

By Sabina Mammadli