Air travel has faced significant disruptions in the US, UK, and Germany due to severe winter storms. These adverse weather conditions have tested the operational capabilities of airports in these regions, leading to numerous cancellations and delays.
In the United States, Kansas City International Airport (MCI) experienced severe disruption over the weekend. The snowy conditions not only affected regular travelers but also impacted VIP guests, including the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team. FlightAware data indicated that Kansas City had 59 inbound flight cancellations on Saturday, accounting for 33% of its traffic that day. Additionally, 36 departures were canceled, and another 36 were delayed. The situation worsened on Sunday with a "blizzard-like winter storm," resulting in 143 departure cancellations and 140 arrival cancellations.
The United Kingdom also experienced widespread disruption as snowfalls led to closures at several airports, including Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle. One notable incident involved Singapore Airlines flight SQ52 from Singapore to Manchester which was diverted multiple times before landing over ten hours late. London Heathrow Airport saw around 2% of flights canceled on Saturday with significant delays affecting both departures and arrivals.