26 Dec 2010

Flights in Europe almost back to normal

2:40 pm on 26 December 2010

Flights in Europe are almost back to normal after air passengers spent the night at airports in Paris and Brussels because of the freezing weather that disrupted Christmas travel.

The BBC reports about 200 people spent Friday night at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where 400 flights were cancelled.

Airport officials provided food, beds and children's toys.

Flights and trains were also disrupted in Belgium, where significant snow fell overnight and in Germany.

Airport managers described the extremes of snow and ice at Charles de Gaulle airport as "exceptional".

Problems were made worse on Friday as a strike at the main anti-freeze factory in France disrupted crucial supplies. But fresh deliveries of de-icing fluid allowed things to go back to normal.

Earlier on Friday, part of Terminal 2E was cleared of passengers because of fears that the roof might collapse under the weight of 60cm (2ft) of snow.

In 2004, the same roof collapsed shortly after the terminal opened, killing four people.