Europe Snowstorm 2026: 6 Dead as Flight Cancellations Strand Thousands

Europe's winter has turned deadly. Six people are dead and thousands remain stranded as a massive snowstorm paralyzes major travel hubs across the continent. According to Reuters, intense snowfall and icy conditions have triggered widespread chaos, with disruptions expected to persist through Wednesday.

Europe Snowstorm 2026 Flight Cancellations at Schiphol and CDG

At Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, more than 400 flights were cancelled on Wednesday alone. Dutch airline KLM issued a stark warning, stating it's nearly out of de-icing fluid due to the extreme weather and supply chain delays. An additional 600 flights scheduled for take-off are also expected to be axed, leaving passengers in a "frustrating and unacceptable" situation.

French authorities reported similar disruptions. Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris cancelled 40% of its morning flights, while Orly airport cut a quarter of its schedule. These measures were taken to allow ground crews to clear runways of rapidly accumulating snow.

Fatalities and Regional Impact

The storm's human toll is rising. In France, five people died in weather-related traffic accidents, including three in the Landes region due to black ice. In Sarajevo, a woman was killed by a falling tree weighed down by 16 inches (40cm) of wet snow. Rail services aren't faring much better, with Eurostar reporting cancellations between Amsterdam and Paris.