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Black Ice Forces Central European Airport Closures as Vienna Reopens and Budapest Stops Flights

Freezing rain created black ice that repeatedly refroze on runways, forcing safety-driven suspensions across the region.

Overview

  • Budapest Ferenc Liszt International closed from 10:25 a.m. local time due to black ice and extreme icing, with all arrivals and departures suspended.
  • Vienna International paused operations early Tuesday, then resumed departures at 11 a.m. and landings at noon after a thick, refreezing ice layer was cleared.
  • Prague’s Václav Havel Airport operated in very limited mode with restricted arrivals as crews focused on de-icing the main runway, causing daylong delays.
  • Bratislava Airport closed its runway through late morning before reopening around 11:15 a.m., warning of residual disruptions as conditions evolve.
  • The disruptions follow days of extreme Arctic cold in Lapland that froze de-icing and refuelling systems at Finland’s Kittilä Airport, stranding thousands as temperatures fell near −40C.