Bucharest snowstorm causes flight cancellations, delays and diversions

A snowstorm on 18 February disrupted air travel in Bucharest. Both Henri Coandă and Bucharest Băneasa airports reported cancellations, delays and five diversions to cities including Varna, Sofia, Cluj, Craiova and Athens. Affected services included flights from LOT, TAROM and Turkish Airlines. Runway clearing and aircraft de-icing contributed to additional delays. A red-code warning was in place from around 04:20 to 08:20, followed by an orange alert until 16:00.

Air travel in Bucharest was disrupted on 18 February 2026 due to a snowstorm affecting the capital and Ilfov County. Authorities issued a red-code warning for heavy snowfall, high winds and blizzard conditions from approximately 04:20 to 08:20 local time, followed by an orange alert until 16:00. Snow accumulations reached around 30–35 cm by 04:30, with reported depths exceeding 50 cm later in the morning.

Operations at both Henri Coandă International Airport and Bucharest Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport were affected. Several flights were canceled, including LOT’s Warsaw–Bucharest service (643/644), TAROM flights from Chișinău (RO 210) and Suceava (810), and Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul–Bucharest services (1043/1044). In addition, five aircraft were diverted to other airports, including Varna, Sofia, Cluj, Craiova and Athens.

Airport teams deployed 58 snow-removal vehicles to keep runways, taxiways and aprons operational. Aircraft de-icing procedures after boarding added to delays across the schedule. The disruption coincided with wider transport impacts in and around Bucharest during the morning, with emergency services active across the city.

By the afternoon, the combination of melting snow and ongoing accumulation produced slush and standing water in parts of the city. While the most severe alert ended at 08:20, weather advisories remained in effect through 16:00, with continued operational adjustments at the airports as clearing and de-icing continued.