- Image by Getty Images via @daylife
We didn’t have much to say when over the last two weeks, snow hit Europe. Airports in Europe were paralyzed by what we here in the United States might consider to be negligible amounts of snow. They simply weren’t equipped to handle it. There were shortages of deicing fluid as well as snow removal equipment.
The fact that this coincided with the busy Christmas travel season made it worse as people only wanted to make it home to be with their loved ones for the holidays. Long lines formed at airports, airline telephone lines were jammed.
As we write this, our hometown of New York has been hit. All three major local airports are shut down, there are high winds, low visibility, and blizzard conditions. The storm shouldn’t die down till sometime Monday in the Northeast…although how early depends on location.
Not only is that delaying holiday travelers, but think of the ones who have spent days trying to get to/from Europe and suffered canceled flights, only to have the same thing happen here.
Tempers will flare, but there is little a traveler can do but wait in line, wait on hold, and wait patiently for the chance to leave. Remember, there are a lot of people in the same boat as you. May whatever holiday spirit you can muster carry you through this.
Related articles
- Blizzards sweep across eastern US (bbc.co.uk)
- Europe’s snow woes (theworld.org)
- Storm leaves airline travelers stranded (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- SFgate.com Snowstorm coats East, frustrating holiday travel (sfgate.com)
- Christmas Travelers Snowed Under in Europe – Voice of America (news.google.com)
- All I want for Christmas is a flight: Europeans (ctv.ca)
- Weather to improve as freeze eases (guardian.co.uk)
- Here’s your Christmas present: A flight in Europe (sfgate.com)
