CNN is reporting that winter weather is causing travel disruptions throughout Europe, with snow closing roads in Romania, where at least 39 people have died so far due to the cold snap.
Traffic was in chaos in the capital Bucharest and possible blizzards are forecast for half the country over the next three days. Five people died in the 24 hours up to Monday morning, Romanian health officials announced, and dozens are suffering from hypothermia.
Ukraine, where at least 122 people have died, was due for high temperatures well below freezing Monday, with the mercury unlikely to rise above 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Kiev for the rest of the week. At least 64 people have died due to the cold in Russia, the government said.
Snow has fallen in Spain, and traffic in Brussels, Belgium, was snarled by bad weather. The Christian Science Monitor has noted that Rome and the Netherlands recorded the lowest temperatures in 27 years, and children were making snowmen outside the Vatican.
Even worse, The Telegraph suggests that conditions could stay like this until the end of February.
Jonathan Epstein of Celebrated Experiences told Travel Agent that none of his company's clients were impacted because of snow in UK. "Cancellations consolidated flights," he said. "Thankfully, it's not as busy a time!"
Airport Conditions
Another story in The Telegraph notes that 41 percent of Heathrow's flights were cancelled with 30 percent scrapped before the storm began in an attempt to prevent the disruption spilling over into the week. Conversely, the story continues, no airport in Germany had to shut even though Munich saw temperatures plunge to -16 degrees Fahrenheit. In Stockholm only six of 350 flights were cancelled. Copenhagen had four inches of snow but no disruption.
BAA, the Spanish-owned operator of Heathrow, has faced criticism for the number of cancellations at a time when continental airports who faced far worse conditions, succeeded in operating near-complete schedules.
Heathrow's website reports that the airport is open and the usual flight schedule is operating today. There will, however, be a handful of cancellations as result of yesterday’s disruption.