Heavy Snowfall Causes Major Disruptions at Munich and Vienna Airports

Severe winter weather has led to significant disruptions at major transportation hubs across southern Germany and Austria. Both Munich and Vienna airports experienced extensive flight delays and cancellations due to heavy snowfall, with ripple effects also impacting road and rail networks throughout the region.

At Munich Airport, passengers faced widespread delays and flight cancellations. According to airport officials, over 100 flights were canceled on Thursday, with an additional 50 flights grounded by late Friday morning. Operations continued to be hampered as ground crews worked to clear snow and maintain safe runways.

The situation was even more severe at Vienna International Airport, which temporarily halted all flight operations after approximately 20 centimeters of snow accumulated overnight. Airport authorities reported that at least 150 flights were canceled, with only limited departures and arrivals expected to resume by midday. Travelers were advised to anticipate continued delays throughout the day as efforts to clear the runways and restore normal operations continued. Snow removal teams at Vienna Airport reportedly removed around 15,000 tons of snow using approximately 1,000 truckloads overnight.

The adverse weather also led to hazardous road conditions in Bavaria and Austria. In the southern part of Bavaria, emergency services responded to around 75 incidents related to snow and icy roads. Most incidents involved minor collisions and vehicles sliding off the road, resulting in property damage and a small number of minor injuries. However, a serious accident occurred on the Munich ring road when a family car left the snowy roadway and collided with a parked truck, leaving all three occupants with severe injuries.

Fallen trees, a result of the heavy snow, further complicated travel for motorists, with several roads blocked by snow-laden branches. In addition, a bus carrying company employees in the Austrian state of Tyrol was swept off the road by a small avalanche. Fortunately, none of the twelve passengers sustained injuries.

Rail travel was also affected, particularly on routes between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Innsbruck, where a fallen tree damaged overhead lines, causing trains from Munich to terminate early at Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The impact of the winter storm extended beyond transportation. In the Austrian state of Styria, approximately 30,000 households experienced power outages after numerous transformer stations failed. Utility crews continued efforts to restore electricity as quickly as possible.

Winter sports regions across Europe were also placed on high alert due to heightened avalanche risks. In northern Italy, a fatal avalanche occurred near the town of Saint-Nicolas in the Aosta Valley. A group of German ski tourers was caught by the snow slide at an altitude of 2,550 meters. Two people were buried; one suffered minor injuries while the other succumbed to severe hypothermia after being transported to a hospital. Authorities reported that the avalanche alert level was four on a five-point scale at the time, reflecting extremely dangerous conditions. Similar warnings and incidents were reported in Austria, France, Switzerland, and other areas popular with winter sports enthusiasts.

Authorities across the affected regions urged travelers to remain cautious, check for updates before setting out, and follow safety instructions, particularly in mountainous areas where avalanche risks remain high.