Passengers at Manchester Airport have spoken out after flights were hit by delays for a third day running after further snowfall overnight. They reported being sat on board for hours as de-icing crews scrambled to coat planes.
The airport’s two runways were closed temporarily due to snowfall in the early hours of Tuesday, reopening from around 5am after three hours.
At least 23 flights due to arrive between 4.40pm on Monday and 1am on Tuesday were diverted to other airports, affecting around 4,000 passengers, according to reports today.
Other passengers took to social media to reveal their planes were ‘circling around northern England’ waiting for a slot to land at the airport. One said that when their flight finally landed, planes were in queues to taxi to disembark.
One passenger said: “Our EasyJet flight to Dalaman has been delayed by over two hours due to the snow. We have been sat on the plane for over two hours waiting for the plane to move.
Manchester Airport on Tuesday morning
(Image: Paul Hollywood)
“They said it’s because we are waiting for the de-icing team to arrive to de-ice the aircraft before we can take off.”
Another said: “2.5 hour delay to board the plane at JFK because the previous flight was late arriving.
“Circling round northern England waiting for a space on the runway to land for 40 minutes. Now sat on the runway waiting for a slot to leave the plane. Overall currently 3 hours 20 minutes delayed.”
Another said: “My outbound flight has been sat on the taxiway for nearly two hours without any update or explanation? No sense of urgency at all around here.”
Other social media users reported issues with snow-bound paths, walkways and car parks, but the airport said teams had been ‘working hard overnight’ to grit and clear paths, saying the safety of staff and passengers was a ‘top priority’.
In its latest update, the airport urged all passengers to check the status of flights with their airlines.
Runways were closed temporarily
(Image: Paul Hollywood)
The airport said: “Our runways remain open, but some arrivals and departures may still be subject to delays as a result of the earlier closure due to heavy snow in the early hours of the morning. Passengers due to travel today are advised to check with their airlines for the latest information regarding their flights.
“We also recommend all passengers should plan their travel to the airport, allow extra time, make sure they are dressed for the weather and pack supplies for their journey, including snacks and a phone charger.
“The safety of our passengers is always our top priority and we thank you for your patience, and all our teams for their hard work in getting our runways open again.”
The airport has more than 20 miles of runways and taxiways.
Grit, however, isn’t suitable for the airfield as it is corrosive to aircraft, so the airport uses de-icing fluid on the runways and taxiways to prevent them from freezing. The surface of the runways are also slightly grooved to improve grip in cold weather.
When snow does build up, the airport has a fleet of more than 30 specialist snow and ice clearing vehicles. Airfields are closed when snow reaches a certain depth, with snow clearing vehicles mobilised to clear runways as fast as possible.