This is why the Budapest airport had to be closed
She added that, following its reopening, the airport remains under the highest level three snow alert.
Similar to Budapest Airport, extreme conditions prevailed at Vienna and Bratislava airports on Tuesday, where precipitation, freezing rain and adverse weather made operations unsafe.
Katalin Valentínyi emphasised that both runways, taxiways and aprons were continuously cleaned and de-iced. The necessary equipment for this is available, including a fleet of 31 snow removal vehicles and de-icing materials in liquid and granular form.
A plane skidded off the runway
She also reported that there had been a minor incident on Tuesday morning when the nose gear of an Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight slipped off the taxiway while taxiing. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation in cooperation with the relevant authorities, in order to establish exactly what happened. Budapest Airport teams are working continuously to free the aircraft, which is not affecting traffic, the deputy CEO added.
Katalin Valentínyi asked all passengers to follow the Budapest Airport website and social media channels for continuous updates on the current situation. It is also important to follow the information provided by the airlines and act accordingly.
8 aircraft were rerouted
During the morning, air traffic control diverted eight flights from Budapest to other cities, primarily Belgrade, Zagreb and Graz, while five flights were cancelled. According to the deputy CEO, the planes that were due to arrive in Budapest did not take off until the airport reopened.
She also reported that there were no personal injuries at the airport on Tuesday. Passengers were waiting calmly and check-in continued until the airport closed. Passengers were kept waiting in the transit area until their flights departed.
After reopening, Budapest Airport, which operates Liszt Ferenc Airport, wrote on its Facebook page that flights are arriving and departing safely. However, traffic has slowed due to adverse weather conditions, so some flights may be delayed or cancelled in the coming hours.
Cover photo: MTI Photo/Tibor Illyés
