Europe weather snarls holiday travel

Thousands of travellers are facing delays after heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures caused travel chaos in parts of northern Europe and the United Kingdom.

Snow and ice buildup forced several European airports to cancel flights over the weekend, creating a backlog of stranded travellers.

After major disruptions Saturday and Sunday, London's Heathrow Airport was openMonday, but airport officials said there would be limited arrivals and departures.

Airports in Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Brusselsare alsodealing with weather-related delays, promptingairport officials to advise travellers to check with airlines before heading to the airport.

"We expect further cancellations and delays in the coming days, as airlines move diverted aircraft and crew back to their normal positions and we continue to manage the impacts of the poor weather," Heathrow officials said in a statement posted online.

British Airways said all short-haul flights from Heathrow would be cancelled Monday.

Many other airlines, including Air Canada, were forced to delay or cancel flights out of the busy hub.

Air Canada said it was only able to operate one-third of its normal schedule through Heathrow with a maximum ofsix takeoffs and landings allowed Monday.

Itsaid five flights would operate Monday from Heathrow to Canadian airports two to Toronto and one each to Halifax, Calgary and Vancouver. The airlineadvised Europe-bound travellers to check its website for flight status before leaving for the airport.

"It's a very big mess," CBC's Ann MacMillan said Monday.

"Two of the five terminals at Heathrow are so full of people whose flights have been cancelled that its owners have taken the highly unusual step of closing them to anyone who does not have a ticket fora flight that is taking off today."

MacMillan said officials are making an effort to get long-haul flights including flights to Canada off the ground. She saidmany people are criticizing the slow cleanup effort and the continued delays at Heathrow.

The breakdown in the air and road systemprompted Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to promise an inquiry into the way passengers were treated after their flights were cancelled.

Heathrow said "every available member of staff and several hundred additional contractors" were working to clear snow and de-ice planes.

But London Mayor Boris Johnson summed up the exasperation as Britain suffered another day of travel setbacks.

"It can't be beyond the wit of man surely to find the shovels, the diggers, the snowplows or whatever it takes to clear the snow out from under the planes, to get the planes moving and to have more than one runway going," he said.

In Paris, heavy snowfall caused major disruptions at Charles de Gaulle airport and Paris-Orly, officials said.

In Germany, flight operations were slowed even though Frankfurt airport, the country's biggest, was clear of snow and ice.

Officials on Monday cancelled about 300 flightsout of a planned 1,340 because of problems elsewhere in Europe, airport operator Fraport said.

Frankfurt airport spokesman Robert Payne said officials were trying to keep passengers comfortable as they wait for flights to get back on track.

"We have set up sleeping cots in the terminals for the overnight situation, we are distributing free snacks and drinks, and we have entertainment set up in the terminals,"Payne said.

The strain was also felt at Brussels Airport, which is facing a shortage of de-icing liquid and can't guarantee departures for planes that need de-icing until at least midnight Tuesday, the airport said Monday in its Twitter feed.

The airport said that the shortage is due to transportation problems in France, adding that "the weather forecast is not so positive."

The winter weather was also slowing traffic and causing delays on rail service in parts of the U.K. and Europe.

Eurostar reported its trains linking England to France and Belgium were severely delayed or cancelled, and urged travellers to cancel or postpone their trips if possible.

CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe said, "Although the heavy snow has ended for most across the U.K. and Europe, the cold conditions will remain into next week with long-range models indicating another round of snow and winds for Christmas Day across the U.K."