Thousands of tourists stranded in Lapland after airport shuts due to -39C Arctic cold
Tourists left stranded in -39C temperatures as Lapland cancels all flights
- Thousands of tourists have been left stranded in Lapland, Finland, after all flights from Kittila airport were cancelled for a third consecutive day due to extreme Arctic cold.
- Temperatures plummeted to as low as -39C, rendering airport operations such as de-icing, refuelling, and the use of ground equipment impossible.
- Flights to major European cities, including London, Bristol, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam, were among those affected by the cancellations.
- Finavia, the airport operator, stated that decisions to cancel flights are made by airlines, but conditions of around -40C pose significant challenges for ground operations.
- The severe weather is part of a wider cold snap affecting Europe, with difficult road conditions across Finland and reported deaths and power outages in other countries like France and Germany.