Snow, black ice cancels dozens of flights in Germany
De-icing operations overwhelm ground crews amid freezing rain
Commercial airplane at Munich airport in Germany, during a cold winter day with black ice on the runway, Munich, Germany, December 12, 2022.
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Frankfurt cancels 120 flights as ice and snow paralyze operations
Munich and Berlin airports report 65 combined cancellations
Poor visibility and icy runways hamper air traffic nationwide
Snow and black ice forced the cancellation Sunday of dozens of flights at Frankfurt airport, Germany's largest airport.
In all, 120 of some 1,990 flights at the airport in the country's west were cancelled, with a spokesperson telling AFP take-off and landing runways needed clearing while "de-icing the planes is also more complex and more demanding."
Poor visibility was another factor behind the annulations.
In Munich, 35 flights were cancelled as a precaution late Saturday evening out of a total of 750 departures and landings scheduled at Germany's second largest airport, a spokesperson said.
Disruptions had begun on Friday evening at Berlin-Brandenburg airport, with 30 flights disrupted amid icy conditions in the capital.
The meteorological office warned of freezing rain on Sunday after snowfall overnight and recommended passengers avoid unnecessary travel.
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