Amid severe weather conditions, a major airport in Europe was compelled to close temporarily due to safety concerns caused by black ice and extreme icing. Budapest Airport announced the closure following similar actions taken by other airports in Central Europe. The airport later reopened with both runways operational. Vienna Airport in Austria also faced temporary closure due to icy conditions, leading to disruptions in flights. Bratislava Airport in Slovakia experienced a brief closure and warned passengers of continued delays throughout the day. Similarly, Václav Havel Airport in Prague operated under limited capacity due to freezing rain, resulting in flight restrictions and delays. Despite the challenges, operations at the airport gradually resumed to normal, although flight delays are anticipated.
The adverse weather system affecting central and eastern Europe brought snow and freezing rain, resulting in icy conditions and disruptions across the region. This weather phenomenon comes shortly after Storm Goretit caused chaos in the UK, leading to the closure of Birmingham Airport and East Midlands Airport. Moreover, British Airways had to cancel numerous flights at Heathrow due to the inclement weather. In a separate incident, extreme cold in northern Finland led to flight cancellations, leaving thousands of tourists stranded. The challenges were exacerbated by plummeting temperatures, making aircraft de-icing a difficult task.