Storm Benjamin Paralyzes Europe: Hundreds of Flights Canceled and Thousands of Passengers Stranded

European aviation faced one of its most severe disruptions of the season as Storm Benjamin swept across the continent, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and dangerously low visibility. Within 24 hours, leading airlines — KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, Air Baltic, and others — canceled 262 flights and delayed more than 870, leaving thousands of travelers stranded at London, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Frankfurt airports, where air traffic was partially suspended.

European Hubs Paralyzed

Storm Benjamin intensified midweek, moving from the North Sea coast across Germany and France. Wind gusts exceeded 80 km/h, making takeoffs and landings extremely unsafe.

The most severe disruptions were reported at:

Amsterdam (Schiphol) — 180 cancellations, 117+ delays. National carrier KLM alone canceled 151 flights.

London (Heathrow) — 20 cancellations, 88 delays, mostly affecting British Airways.

Paris (Charles de Gaulle) — 9 cancellations, 180 delays.

Frankfurt — 10 cancellations, 149 delays.

Dublin — 4 cancellations, 31 delays.

Secondary airports including Brussels, Geneva, Munich, Paris-Orly, and London City also experienced mass flight disruptions, diversions, and parking shortages due to grounded aircraft.

Airlines Hit the Hardest

According to updated dаta:

KLM and Cityhopper (Netherlands) — 152 cancellations, 57 delays

Lufthansa, German Airways, CityLine (Germany) — 27 cancellations, 111 delays

Air France and HOP (France) — 19 cancellations, 106 delays

British Airways, easyJet (UK) — 16 cancellations, 512 delays

Swiss and Helvetic (Switzerland) — 12 cancellations, 59 delays

Short-haul European routes were hit hardest, as cascading delays disrupted connecting flights throughout the region.

Why Airports Shut Down

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) confirmed that strict operational limits were enforced under such conditions: crosswind landings and flights during thunderstorm alerts were temporarily suspended.

Ground-handling operations were also halted multiple times due to lightning and dangerous wind gusts, especially at coastal airports such as Amsterdam and Paris.

Despite the large-scale chaos, no safety incidents were reported. Airlines and airport staff followed all safety procedures with precision and coordination.

Flight Recovery Underway

Meteorologists expect Storm Benjamin to weaken by Friday evening, allowing airports to gradually resume normal operations. Amsterdam and Frankfurt are expected to recover first, followed by Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle as visibility improves.

However, ripple effects are likely to persist into the weekend as airlines reposition aircraft and crews, and stranded passengers wait for rebooked flights or stay overnight in terminals.

A Continent Grounded by the Wind

Storm Benjamin served as a stark reminder of the fragility of Europe’s transport network. A single weather system managed to halt dozens of major airports, hundreds of flights, and thousands of passengers.

“Even the most advanced aviation systems are powerless against nature,” experts note. “The key takeaway is that safety comes first — and Europe’s aviation crews handled the crisis professionally and efficiently.”

Key Facts:

262 flights canceled, 870+ delayed

29 airports affected across Europe

Main regions: UK, France, Germany, Netherlands

Normal operations expected within 48 hours

Source: airport authorities, airline data, and EASA