Europe flight disruption on Feb 5: 2,219 delays and 39 cancellations; Ryanair and Aer Lingus affected

On 5 February, Europe-wide flight operations were hit by winter weather and staffing shortages, resulting in 2,219 delayed departures and 39 cancellations. Ryanair and Aer Lingus were among the most affected carriers. Disruptions were concentrated around major hubs including Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt, with limited outright cancellations at Dublin. Average departure delays on transiting aircraft exceeded 50 minutes, and Ryanair warned knock-on effects could last up to 48 hours. Weather was expected to improve by the weekend, aiding recovery.

A Europe-wide disruption on 5 February led to extensive schedule issues across multiple airports due to winter weather combined with staffing shortages. In total, 2,219 departures were delayed and 39 were canceled. Ryanair and Aer Lingus were among the most affected airlines, with disruption concentrated around Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt. Although only a small number of flights to and from Dublin were canceled, overall punctuality deteriorated, and average departure delays for transiting aircraft exceeded 50 minutes.

Ryanair indicated that knock-on effects could continue for up to 48 hours because of tightly sequenced aircraft rotations and crew duty limits. Business travel itineraries to key European cities such as Frankfurt and Amsterdam were impacted, prompting rebookings onto next-day services. Some passengers were rerouted through alternate hubs, adding to the need for timely documentation checks during unplanned connections.

The disruption also affected cargo flows. Time-critical shipments—such as pharmaceuticals and technology components originating in Ireland—were delayed as reduced belly-hold capacity constrained uplift on passenger services. Certain consignments were rerouted via overnight trucking to Brussels for onward air carriage to maintain supply chains.

Weather conditions were forecast to improve by the weekend, supporting operational recovery. Airlines advised customers to use digital tools for real-time updates and to manage rebookings. Ryanair highlighted its app for live notifications and free date changes during the recovery period. Corporate travel managers were urged to maintain duty-of-care tracking and contingency arrangements while residual delays worked through the network.

Key details
- Date of disruption: 5 February
- Impact: 2,219 delayed departures; 39 cancellations
- Cause: Winter weather and staffing shortages
- Airlines noted: Ryanair, Aer Lingus
- Airports/hubs referenced: Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, Dublin
- Additional notes: Average departure delays on transiting aircraft exceeded 50 minutes; cascading delays could last up to 48 hours