France’s civil aviation authority has asked airlines to cancel 15% of flights until later in the evening at Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports following heavy snowfalls in the French capital Paris.
The airlines are free to choose which flights they cancel so long as they reduce takeoffs and landings, a spokesperson told Reuters.
Airlines were asked to reduce flights until 2000 CET (1900 GMT) at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, and until 2330 CET (2230 GMT) at Paris-Orly.
The French transport ministry urged travellers to check if their flight was taking off before leaving home, and to go to the airport by public transportation rather than by car.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, cancelled almost 500 flights yesterday morning and was closed to incoming traffic until 1200 GMT also because of snowfalls, news agency ANP reported.
Planes headed for Amsterdam were diverted to other airports, ANP said.
Schiphol could not immediately be reached for further comment.
The airport had already been forced to scrap hundreds of flights a day since Friday due to snow and icy temperatures.
The snow, which covered large parts of the Netherlands yesterday morning, also crippled traffic.
The Dutch railway company NS said no trains were operating in the region around Amsterdam and public transport was severely affected in many places across the country.
Ice and snow also caused many delays and accidents on the roads, even as authorities advised people to stay at home whenever possible.
Snowfall is expected to continue in the Netherlands throughout the week.