Budapest Airport has resumed normal operations after extreme weather conditions on Tuesday morning forced a temporary closure. Snow and freezing rain in the early hours caused the airport to close at 10:25 a.m., with both runways reopening at 1 p.m., said Katalin Valentínyi, deputy CEO for communications and government relations at the airport. While Tuesday saw severe disruptions, flights are now operating normally and no snow alerts are currently in effect.
At the time, the highest level three snow alert was in effect at the airport. She said that on Tuesday, similar to Budapest Airport, there were extreme conditions at Vienna and Bratislava airports, and operations were unsafe due to precipitation and freezing rain.
Katalin Valentínyi emphasized that both runways, taxiways, and aprons were continuously cleaned and de-iced. The necessary equipment is available for this, including their fleet of 31 snow removal vehicles and de-icing materials in liquid and granular form
Katalin Valentínyi, Deputy CEO for Communications and Government Relations at Budapest Airport, holds a press conference at Liszt Ferenc International Airport. The airport has resumed flights after temporarily suspending operations due to freezing rain and extreme icing. Photo: MTI/Illyés Tibor
She also reported that there was a minor incident on Tuesday morning when the nose gear of an Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight skidded off the taxiway while taxiing. As Hungary Today reported, the circumstances of this incident are being investigated in cooperation with the authorities to determine exactly what happened.
Runways at Liszt Ferenc International Airport are being cleared of snow and ice after flights were temporarily suspended due to freezing rain and extreme icing. Photo: MTI/Illyés Tibor
Budapest Airport, which operates Liszt Ferenc Airport, wrote on its Facebook page on Tuesday, right after the reopening that flights were arriving and departing safely, but that traffic had slowed down due to adverse weather conditions and that some flights might be delayed or canceled in the coming hours:
“There has been no precipitation at Liszt Ferenc International Airport and its surroundings since early afternoon. Both runways at the airport are operating normally, with flights arriving and departing safely. No significant precipitation is expected for the rest of the day, but due to icing caused by the low temperatures, the operator maintains continuous de-icing and the runways, taxiways and aprons are being cleared continuously.”
As of the latest update, aviation traffic at the Budapest airport is fully operational, though passengers are advised to check for flight updates as a precaution.
The Budapest Transport Center (BKK) also stepped in to assist travelers experiencing flight delays. In response to the extreme weather conditions, BKK has increased the frequency of services from the airport to the city on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning to ensure that passengers can reach their destinations as planned despite late landings.
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Via MTI, Facebook; Featured photo: MTI/Illyés Tibor
The post Budapest Airport Overcomes Operational Difficulties Caused by Snow and Freezing Rain appeared first on Hungary Today.
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