On Saturday, Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague faced significant disruptions as thick fog, coupled with a malfunctioning weather station, led to the diversion of 21 aircraft, the cancellation of nine flights, and delays for several others. Airport spokeswoman Klara Diviskova informed CTK (Czech News Agency) about the challenges faced due to adverse weather conditions and technical issues.

As of 16:30, Diviskova reported that the situation at the Prague airport had stabilized, and the weather conditions had improved, allowing planes to land. However, the total number of flights expected to eventually reach Prague remained uncertain, contingent on ongoing weather conditions and the repair of the airport’s weather station.

The malfunction of the weather station, attributed to a lightning strike on Thursday, disrupted central data collection for monitoring meteorological parameters at the airport, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMU). This technical failure left air traffic controllers without accurate weather data, leading many pilots to opt for alternative landing destinations.

The first diversion occurred at 3:25, with only two successful landings between 5:00 and 6:00. Operations resumed around 10:00 when the fog cleared, but deteriorated conditions reappeared after 13:00. The airport’s announcement of improvement at 14:30 signaled a partial resolution.

The CHMU stated that the lightning strike directly hit the weather station building, emphasizing that repairs were still pending. The uncertainty surrounding the station’s operational timeline added to the challenge of resuming normal flight operations.

While fog, strong winds, and snow can complicate air traffic, this incident follows a pattern of weather-related disruptions at Vaclav Havel Airport. Carriers are generally not held responsible for delays or cancellations caused by extraordinary circumstances such as adverse weather.

The Prague airport, which handled 11.7 million passengers in the first ten months of the previous year, witnessed a 28 percent increase compared to the corresponding period the year before. However, such weather-related incidents underscore the importance of robust infrastructure and contingency planning for airports to maintain efficient operations.

Article by Prague Forum