Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights for the latest information regarding their flights.
In their most recent statement, Emirates said: ‘EK30 and EK32 from London to Dubai on March 2 have been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. Flights EK163 and EK164 from Dublin to Dubai on March 1 were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions in Dublin.’
Passengers flying to and from the United Kingdom and Ireland are advised to check the Emirates website for the status of their flights before they travel. The airline also reminded passengers to update their contact numbers to receive the latest information about their flights.
Emirates apologises for any inconvenience caused emphasising that the safety of its passengers and crew is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.
Earlier, the airline said its flights to and from Europe have been disrupted as heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures cause widespread travel disruption.
UK Travel Alert: The operations of Emirates flights are effected due to adverse weather conditions across the UK.
Customers are advised to update their local contact details on our website to receive the latest updates and flight status https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/help/travel-updates.aspx/#3357 …
“Customers booked to travel from the UK between February 28 and March 3, 2018 can opt to change their flights, and postpone their departure up to seven days later than originally booked,” the airline said on its website.
Some Etihad Airways flights from the UK, Ireland and other European cities are also experiencing delays due to the heavy snow, ice and high winds, which are likely to continue throughout the week.
In a statement issued, an Etihad Spokesperson said, “We are doing all we can to minimise the effect of adverse weather conditions on our flight schedules, and have contingency plans in place, should there be any disruption.”
“We advise the guests holding bookings over the next few days to check the status of their flights at etihad.com/flightstatus or through the Etihad Airways mobile app before proceeding to the airport. Alternatively, the guests can also call the Etihad Airways Global Contact Centre on +971 (0) 2599 0000 (UAE), or their local Contact Centre found at etihad.com/contacts.”
“We apologise for the inconvenience, however the safety and security of our passengers and staff is our top priority at all times”, the spokesperson added.
In the UK, where the weather system has been dubbed “the beast from the east,” the weather office issued an alert for Scotland warning that heavy snow and strong wind would bring widespread damage, disruption and risk to life late Wednesday and early Thursday.
Travellers are being warned that further flights could be cancelled as the weather continues to affect the UK.
The weather caused cancelations at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, and Scottish Premiership soccer matches were canceled Wednesday.
Glasgow Airport ✔@GLA_Airport Due to the continued severe weather conditions it remains the case there will be no further flights to or from Glasgow Airport until 11am. We experienced further heavy snowfall overnight and the red alert remains in place. We will review the current opening time at 7am. 1/2
Geneva airport temporarily shut
Geneva’s airport has been closed “until further notice” after the Swiss city was blanketed by snowfall overnight.
The airport’s website says passengers should stay away “for the time being” and recommends that they check with their airlines to see if their flights are still scheduled for departure.
Authorities did not specify the reason for the closure other than to cite “the prevailing weather conditions.”
Travel chaos across Europe
Trains were canceled across the north and east of Britain and as far south as London, where several subway lines experienced severe delays, including the Piccadilly Line that links central London to Heathrow Airport.
Emergency officials said many drivers had to be rescued from stranded vehicles. Hundreds of schools were shut for a second day.
The weather also forced hospitals to cancel elective procedures and outpatient care.
France’s national weather agency, Meteo France, put a large part of the country on alert for dangerous levels of snow, ice and violent wind. Urging people to limit their movement, Meteo France said snowfall would continue until Friday.
Several deaths were attributed to the cold snap, including a 75-year-old man who fell through ice in the Netherlands, likely while skating.
A 38-year old man was found dead on a frozen river in northern Germany amid continuing subzero temperatures across the country, according to German news agency dpa.
In Denmark, a 54-year-old man who suffered from dementia was found dead in the snow on the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm, police said.
In southern Serbia, another man suffering from dementia was found frozen to death Wednesday after he disappeared from his home two days ago.
An elderly man died of cold when he went out to collect wood near Maribor in Slovenia, authorities there said. Temperatures in the country fell as low as -27 C (-16.6 F).
Snowfall of up to 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) blanketed all of Albania, including a rare accumulation in the capital, Tirana. Many schools in the countryside did not have classes on Wednesday.
Snow has blocked many roads and damaged power pylons across Albania, leading to power cuts in many rural areas.
In Kosovo, the Education Ministry closed all elementary and high schools Wednesday due to the extreme. Temperatures were expected to drop as low as minus 23 Celsius (minus 9.4 Fahrenheit).
Freezing weather also limited traffic and closed down schools in Croatia, with snow falling even along the Adriatic coast.
The cold snap saw a snowman built in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, while snow delayed Formula One testing at the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona on Wednesday.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters, AFP)