Storm Bert Causes Airport Delays, Stranding Passengers

Passengers at an airport in north-east England have become stranded due to heavy snowfall associated with Storm Bert. Departures from Newcastle have experienced delays lasting several hours, while some incoming flights were either diverted to Edinburgh and Belfast or canceled. According to the airport, its personnel diligently worked to minimize disturbances after “continuous” snowfall throughout the morning, confirming that the runway was cleared by approximately 12:00 GMT. Across the nation, the storm has led to travel disruptions on both roads and railways, characterized by snow, heavy rainfall, and powerful winds. Richard Green, a resident of Wallsend, North Tyneside, is one of the individuals impacted by the flight disruptions from Newcastle. His scheduled Ryanair flight to Krakow, Poland, which was set for shortly after 09:00 GMT, is now experiencing a minimum delay of six hours. Mr. Green shared his perspective with the BBC, stating: “I suppose I’m just resigned to it really.” He added, “You can’t help the weather, though it does seem like this took the airport by surprise, as much as they said they were prepared.” He also noted, “Ryanair have offered a £3 refreshment voucher, which as you can imagine isn’t going to get you very far.” An airport spokesperson commented: “Due to Storm Bert there has been some disruption to flights this morning.” The spokesperson further explained that the delay for the Krakow flight was communicated through the Tannoy system in the terminal. “Boarding cards were automatically updated with vouchers and the disruption desk was available to handle all passenger queries.” The spokesperson concluded, “Our hardworking snow team has cleared the runway and the airport is working as normal.” Travelers have received guidance to check the airport’s official website for current flight details and to reach out to their respective airlines for any additional inquiries. National Highways has issued a severe weather alert concerning snow on roads in the North East, cautioning about potential blizzard conditions. The agency indicated that snow was expected to “accumulate quickly at all levels.” Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.