Icy Weather Disrupts Flights at Central Europe Airports

Severe icy weather swept across Central Europe on Tuesday, January 13, forcing temporary closures at several major airports and disrupting thousands of flights. Airports in Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Prague, Czech Republic, suspended or limited operations amid black ice, freezing rain, and persistent runway icing, leaving passengers stranded and prompting widespread diversions.

Budapest's Ferenc Liszt International Airport halted all arrivals and departures starting around 10:25 a.m. local time, citing safety risks from black ice and extreme icing conditions. In a statement, airport officials noted that an Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight, ETH3707, encountered trouble during taxiing when its nose gear slipped off the taxiway onto grass, stranding the aircraft. An investigation into the incident is underway, and passengers have been advised to check the airport's website and airline updates for information.

Vienna International Airport, which handles more than 30 million passengers annually, closed briefly in the morning after a thick layer of ice formed on its runways and repeatedly refroze despite deicing efforts. A spokesperson confirmed that...