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A severe cold snap in Finnish Lapland has left thousands of tourists stranded as flights have been grounded at Kittila airport.
Sunday departures from Kittila, intended for travelers returning to destinations like London, Bristol, Manchester, Paris, and Amsterdam, were cancelled due to temperatures remaining below -35C.
The disruption is expected to persist on Monday, with a forecast low of -39C according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The first flight scheduled for departure from Kittila has already been called off.
The extreme cold presents challenges for de-icing aircraft, and can cause ground maintenance and refueling equipment to freeze.
Finavia, the airport operator, informed public broadcaster Yle that air moisture is exacerbating the situation by creating slippery frost.
While Lapland, encompassing northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland, is known for its cold and snow, Finnish Lapland typically experiences average winter temperatures of -14C, occasionally dipping to -30C, according to the national tourism board.
Kittila airport primarily serves tourists seeking access to nearby ski resorts and the Northern Lights, while Rovaniemi airport, further south, is known as the “official” destination for visitors to Santa Claus’s home.
One flight was cancelled out of Rovaniemi on Sunday.
Reports indicate that flights to and from Kittila were also cancelled on Friday and Saturday.
The frigid conditions have also made roads particularly treacherous, with Fintraffic issuing warnings about icy conditions in the region.
Yle reported that a bus carrying Ukrainian passengers veered into a ditch on Sunday morning, citing local police. No serious injuries were reported.
The unusually cold weather in Lapland coincides with a storm passing over northern Europe, which has brought wintry conditions and travel disruption to the UK, France, and Germany.
In England, a man died after a tree fell on his caravan, while approximately 100,000 homes in France were without power on Saturday.
Aurigny announces twice daily services between Guernsey and Jersey from March until October.
The body says after investigations it was unable to find evidence of an engine issue.
The airline had applied for operational licenses for the routes after the collapse of Blue Islands.
Inspectors say the pilot did not have time to fully explain the electrocution risk to passengers.
The Moores abandon their luggage and make their own way home as flights are repeatedly cancelled.
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