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Vienna Airport overcomes ice chaos – normal operations restored!
Vienna Airport temporarily closed on January 17, 2026 due to black ice. Weather forecasts warn of extreme temperatures.
Vienna Airport overcomes ice chaos – normal operations restored!
A situation that posed challenges for many passengers: On Tuesday, Vienna-Schwechat Airport was temporarily completely paralyzed due to a thick layer of ice. Black ice made it impossible to continue operating the aircraft safely. The situation only eased later on Tuesday morning when temperatures in Vienna climbed above freezing thanks to a small increase in temperatures. Börse Express reports that the intensive work to restore flight operations was initially focused on the handling of departing aircraft. Landings were possible again from midday.
Despite difficult conditions, Vienna Airport was largely back to normal operations after the onset of winter weather. Some arrivals were diverted during the shutdown, for example to Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Venice, and the first departures were delayed. Passengers had to expect delays until midday, while the winter service worked tirelessly during the night to clear the runways again. The bad weather with freezing rain not only caused difficulties at the airport, but also led to traffic restrictions throughout eastern Austria and over 100 rescue missions that were recorded until the morning hours. Watson highlights that the ÖBB has issued travel warnings, especially for non-urgent journeys, as numerous train connections were interrupted due to ice formation on switches and overhead lines.
The weather service looks to the future
The forecasts suggest the worst for the next few days: temperatures as low as -19°C are predicted for the end of January, which means that the cold will not go away anytime soon. The humidity is said to fluctuate from 5 to 15 percent, which could make the situation even more difficult. On Tuesday the humidity was almost 100 percent, which provided a perfect breeding ground for the rapid formation of ice. Meteoblue makes it clear that there is almost no precipitation in sight between 00:00 and 23:00, which promises at least temporary stability.
Vienna Airport shares are stable at 55 euros, which may be a calm star in the otherwise stormy weather-related sky for investors. Despite all the difficulties, cancellations and delays remained within manageable limits, so those responsible are hoping for an improvement soon. However, the forecasts remain uncertain, as clear forecasts over periods of ten days or more continue to be a challenge for meteorologists.