Weather problems in Europe [My story today]

[Anastasios]

Hi guys,

this morning I was supposed to fly from Edinburgh to Amsterdam to London Heathrow and back to Amsterdam again. I woke up at 03:40
in the morning Scottish time and my day of work would be finished at 14:45 Dutch time. However, things were not going as planned.

We started boarding at 05:25Z. In 30 minutes boarding was completed, but just a few minutes before it started to snow. We had a slot to
Amsterdam at 06:20, and in the meanwhile the snow continued. It continued that much, that eventually we would be to heavy to depart in
these weather conditions.
We were on board a 737-900 which is able to depart with 3mm of snow. There was already 5mm of snow on the runway, so we couldn't
avoid a delay.

The airport had to get staff to the airport to clear the runway of the snow. After 30 minutes they arrived and it would take them 1 hour.l So
we expected a delay of 1 and a half hour.

However, after they cleaned 30 meters of the runway, they turned back to the beginning to measure the snow again. It was already back
up to 5 mm. So cleaning was useless. We had to sit and wait at the gate until the snow would stop. The snow stopped at about 08:00Z.
Now the cleaners could get the runway and taxiways clear of snow and then we would be aible to depart.
So we got ready for departure again. After almost 45 minutes the runway was clear of snow and most of the taxiways as well. And just as
we expected to depart... it started snowing again.

Within just a few minutes, everything was white of snow again.

We waited again... and waited... until 11:00Z. The snow stopped again, but this would be the last snow of the day in Edinburgh. So we got
ready for departure again and expected to depart at 12:00Z. After de-icing the airplane again and waiting for startup clearance, we
eventually departed at 12:45Z.

We waited for more than 7 hours at the gate with passengers on board. Everybody missed their connecting flight.
I got home at 17:00 local time. I'm very tired now and I'm glad I can finnaly enjoy my christmas weekend.

Merry christmas everybody.

Anastasios.



Post Edited ( 12-23-09 20:52 )

[the_nick]

it's almost the same as the video on youtube , those people also had to wait for 7 hours on the tarmac but they didn't got any drinks because the
airline didn't allowed it. was this also the same here ?

[Anastasios]

O not at all,

we served them snacks, drinks, coffe, tea, water, sandwiches during the 6 hours. We even made pancakes for the children and extra
juices and water was ordered by KLM and elivered for the passengers. For security reaons passengers were first not allowed to
disembark, but later some people were aible to stretch their legs.

Anastasios.

[Atlantic Airways]

It's the same here at Faroe island, only 7 planes or so, where able to land the day before Christmas (23th of December). And all thoose planes where
from days before, but eventually all people made it to the 24th.

Most of the passengers, are Danish relatives and drunk Sailor

[whiskey-zulu]

Flew out of Gatwick on the 23rd bound for Luxor - they closed the runway for deicing just as we were getting push-back clearance, so expected a good
three hour delay given how long it took them to do the job the day before, but we were lucky enough to only have to wait 25 minutes before we were
granted push back and start up clearance, then we were number 3 for take off ahead of the departures that should be taking the slots we were!

Belated Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year!