Bad weather continues to delay travel in Europe

by Sean McLachlan on


Snow and ice have been causing travel delays in Western and Northern Europe since last weekend, and another round of chilly weather is causing new trouble, the BBC reports.

Parts of Germany got inundated with freezing rain last night and today and some roads are covered in up to 2 centimeters (almost an inch) of ice. This has caused numerous accidents, although thankfully nobody has been killed. Icy and snowy conditions are also causing delays for rail service and automobile traffic in France and the UK.

At least there’s some good news. After a big backlog of flights, Heathrow is running at almost full capacity. Delays at the world’s busiest airport had created knock-on effects at many other airports.

If you’re traveling to, from, or within Europe, do yourself a favor and check to see if your flight or train is leaving on time. If you’re driving, please drive carefully.

[Image courtesy Alex Sven via Gadling’s flickr pool]

Bogota airport security restriction: no hand grenades (or any other grenades)

by Tom Johansmeyer on

With airport security on the rise around the world, it isn’t surprising to see long, fairly exhaustive lists of what you can’t take on the plane. Who among us doesn’t know someone who’s lost a lighter or bottle of shampoo at the security line because of these restrictions? It just seems endless.

Well, it gets crazier than what you’re seeing here in the United States. A reader just sent me this photo today, taken at the Bogota, Colombia airport’s security checkpoint. Apparently, it’s important to itemize the types of weapon you are not permitted to bring on board.

Is this level of detail really necessary? I mean, who the hell would think axes, tear gas or a “Ninja Star” is acceptable for in-flight entertainment. Seriously, an effing sword?! This is nuts.

So, if you’re passing through Bogota, make sure you do not have a “Hand grenade or any grenade,” likely referring to the sort you’d affix to an RPG for an M203 grenade launcher. Those things can be expensive, and it would suck to have to surrender it at security.

[Thanks, PK]

Europe flights still delayed as airports try to catch up

by Sean McLachlan on

Thousands of travelers in Europe still don’t know if they’ll be home for Christmas as airports struggle to deal with a huge backlog of flights. Unusually heavy snowfall in Northern Europe led to cancellations in several countries. London’s Heathrow airport was hardest hit. BBC reports that the UK Army offered to help, but Heathrow refused.

The world’s busiest airport is only running at 30 percent capacity until at least 6a.m. Thursday, and extension of 24 hours beyond the original announcement. Since Heathrow is a hub for so many airlines, this is affecting many other airports.

A friend of mine here in Madrid had two flights to the UK canceled before she finally got on a plane that took her home. She was one of the lucky ones. Five thousand people had to camp out at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, most of whom were headed to London.

So if you’re flying to, from, or within Europe, make sure to check your flight before heading to the airport.

[Photo courtesy Alexandre Moreau Photography via Gadling’s flickr pool]

Snow continues to disrupt Europe flights and trains

by Sean McLachlan on

Last night much of northern Europe got another dumping of snow, worsening the continent’s travel woes, the BBC reports. An unusually high amount of snowfall over the weekend left many passengers stranded as runways got buried and ice built up on wings. This latest snowfall has led to another round of cancellations.

Trains are overbooked as passengers look for alternative means of travel, but the snow is affecting how fast trains can go. Some companies, including Eurostar and those in Germany, are telling people to stay home.

Heathrow is suffering the most and will only be able to run 30% of its flights until 6a.m. Wednesday, and that’s assuming more snow doesn’t make matters worse.

Frankfurt airport, which has had to cancel almost 300 flights last night, tried to cheer up stranded passengers by bringing in clowns to entertain them. No news on how well that worked.

So if you’re traveling to, from, or within Europe this holiday season, be sure to check your flight status before heading to the airport.

[Photo courtesy Luke Robinson via Gadling’s flickr pool]

Bangladesh airport operator investigates terminal TV porn show

by Scott Carmichael on

Officials at Shahjalal International Airport in Bangladesh are investigating how a porno flick appeared on a large TV screen in the departure lounge of their airport. The screen is normally used to display documentaries about Bangladesh, explaining the geography and culture of this Muslim nation.

The movie had been broadcast for five minutes and seen by hundreds of passengers. Immediately after the screen was turned off, the AV operator was thrown in jail for two months. The owners of a local cable firm have been summoned to help explain whether any criminal intent was involved.

Shahjalal International airport is located 13 miles north of the capital Dhaka, it is serviced by 30 different airlines, including Emirates and Singapore Airlines.

At least this time, the porn didn’t come from the airport security scanning machines…

[Photo from Flickr/Rainer Ebert]