Dutch airport cancels all flights as storm batters Europe

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has suspended all flights and the Dutch national rail service halted all trains as a powerful storm lashes the Netherlands, toppling trees and causing traffic chaos.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has suspended all flights and the Dutch national rail service halted all trains as a powerful storm lashes the Netherlands, toppling trees and causing traffic chaos.

Schiphol tweeted shortly after 11am local time that it was halting all take-offs and landings "until further notice" because of the severe weather conditions.

We expect that flight traffic will gradually restart around 12.00pm.

— Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (@Schiphol) January 18, 2018

Status update due to severe weather conditions: all air traffic has been suspended until further notice.

— Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (@Schiphol) January 18, 2018

Storm update: currently 260 flights have been cancelled. This mainly affects flights to and from European destinations. Please expect delays for departing flights of up to 30 minutes. Our flight schedule will be disrupted for the rest of the day. pic.twitter.com/5t8Vox3ot6

— Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (@Schiphol) January 18, 2018

Flag carrier KLM already had scrapped more than 200 flights before the storm.

National broadcaster NOS reported that the main railway station in The Hague was closed because of fears that parts of its new glass roof would be blown off by Thursday’s storm.

PA