A severe winter onset has led to chaos at airports across Europe, including Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Warsaw. Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed, mainly due to snow, ice, and strong winds. Travelers have clear rights to rebooking and care despite the extraordinary circumstances.
On January 2, 2026, persistent snowfall at Hamburg Airport caused delays and isolated cancellations, as reported by the 'Aero International' portal. The airport struggled with the winter onset challenges.
At Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed due to snow, wind, and necessary de-icing, according to dpa. Connections to Germany were particularly affected, including to Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen. KLM cited snowfall and strong winds as main reasons. On Saturday, KLM canceled over 200 flights, and on Sunday nearly 300 according to ANP. Disruptions continued over the weekend, with new snow expected Saturday evening. Road and rail traffic in the Netherlands was also impaired.
In Poland, an extreme winter onset around New Year's led to major issues. Snowfall temporarily halted operations at Warsaw Modlin Airport, Euronews reported. The government convened a crisis team, and the weather service issued the highest alert level. At Warsaw Chopin Airport, routine de-icing caused delays of more than 20 minutes, with numerous flights diverted. The situation was expected to last several days.
The German Weather Service warned of further snowfall. Travelers should check flight statuses and allow extra time for travel.
According to Airhelp, passengers have rights to rebooking or refunds for snow-related cancellations. From two hours of delay, airlines must provide meals; from five hours, refunds. Snow is considered an extraordinary circumstance, so compensation is usually not due. However, the Federal Court of Justice ruled that de-icing times cannot excuse delays if airlines do not act timely—up to 600 euros may then apply.
