Europe grapples with weather chaos
Source: Agencies |
December 22, 2010, Wednesday
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BRITAIN'S prime minister offered troops to help clear airport delays yesterday and Europe's top transportation official said the failure to keep flights operating in winter weather was unacceptable, as exhausted and outraged passengers struggled to get home for the fourth day.
Prime Minister David Cameron said his government had "offered military assistance" to the company that operates Europe's busiest airport and others in Britain. Heathrow said it was grateful for the offer and didn't need the help, but still would be unable to restore full service until at least tomorrow morning.
"We currently have over 200 volunteers supporting our passengers in the terminals and we have also engaged our construction contractors to assist with the clearance of snow around the airport," a spokeswoman said.
Cameron said that given the exceptional weather, which saw 13 centimeters of snow fall in an hour on Saturday, it was inevitable Heathrow would shut for a time.
"I am frustrated on behalf of all those affected that it has taken so long for the situation to improve," Cameron said. He promised the second runway at London's Heathrow would reopen within hours. But with a backlog of canceled flights, Heathrow said it would be operating around one third of a normal flight schedule until 6am tomorrow.
Major delays and cancellations also disrupted other European airports and the Eurostar train link, leaving thousands stranded across Europe as Christmas approached.
Transportation Commissioner Siim Kallas said new airport regulations due to be published before the summer could include new requirements on "minimal services" airports will have to be able to provide during severe weather.
"Airports must 'get serious' about planning for this kind of severe weather conditions," Kallas said. "We have seen in recent years that snow in Western Europe is not such an exceptional circumstance.
"Better preparedness, in line with what is done in Northern Europe is not an optional extra, it must be planned for and with the necessary investment, particularly on the side of the airports," Kallas said.
The terminals at Heathrow were clogged with passengers desperately looking at computer screens to see if they would be able to get to their destinations. So many people were sprawled on the floor that it was difficult to walk.
"It's pathetic - you would think this is a Third World country," said Janice Phillips, 29, who was trying to get back to Minneapolis.
Eurostar, which links England to France and Belgium by train, also advised passengers to cancel their trips in the coming days and receive a full refund unless travel was absolutely necessary.
Fresh snowfall forced Frankfurt airport, Germany's biggest, to suspend takeoffs and landings for a few hours early yesterday.
Prime Minister David Cameron said his government had "offered military assistance" to the company that operates Europe's busiest airport and others in Britain. Heathrow said it was grateful for the offer and didn't need the help, but still would be unable to restore full service until at least tomorrow morning.
"We currently have over 200 volunteers supporting our passengers in the terminals and we have also engaged our construction contractors to assist with the clearance of snow around the airport," a spokeswoman said.
Cameron said that given the exceptional weather, which saw 13 centimeters of snow fall in an hour on Saturday, it was inevitable Heathrow would shut for a time.
"I am frustrated on behalf of all those affected that it has taken so long for the situation to improve," Cameron said. He promised the second runway at London's Heathrow would reopen within hours. But with a backlog of canceled flights, Heathrow said it would be operating around one third of a normal flight schedule until 6am tomorrow.
Major delays and cancellations also disrupted other European airports and the Eurostar train link, leaving thousands stranded across Europe as Christmas approached.
Transportation Commissioner Siim Kallas said new airport regulations due to be published before the summer could include new requirements on "minimal services" airports will have to be able to provide during severe weather.
"Airports must 'get serious' about planning for this kind of severe weather conditions," Kallas said. "We have seen in recent years that snow in Western Europe is not such an exceptional circumstance.
"Better preparedness, in line with what is done in Northern Europe is not an optional extra, it must be planned for and with the necessary investment, particularly on the side of the airports," Kallas said.
The terminals at Heathrow were clogged with passengers desperately looking at computer screens to see if they would be able to get to their destinations. So many people were sprawled on the floor that it was difficult to walk.
"It's pathetic - you would think this is a Third World country," said Janice Phillips, 29, who was trying to get back to Minneapolis.
Eurostar, which links England to France and Belgium by train, also advised passengers to cancel their trips in the coming days and receive a full refund unless travel was absolutely necessary.
Fresh snowfall forced Frankfurt airport, Germany's biggest, to suspend takeoffs and landings for a few hours early yesterday.
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