Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 13, 2026
1 min readLast updated: January 19, 2026
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Icy conditions have closed Vienna Airport and limited operations at Prague Airport, causing flight diversions and delays.
VIENNA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Icy conditions have forced staff to close Vienna International Airport until at least 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) on Tuesday and limit fights at Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport, both hubs said.
A thick layer of ice had formed on runways in Vienna and kept freezing up again after efforts to clear it, a spokesperson said. Flights being diverted to other airports, they added.
Freezing rain had left Prague Airport operating in a "very limited mode", according to a message on its X account.
Delays were expected through the day and arrivals were being restricted as staff worked to de-ice the main runway, it added.
(Reporting by Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich in Vienna, Thomas Seythal in Berlin and Jason Hovet in Prague Editing by Miranda Murray and Andrew Heavens)
An airport closure occurs when an airport temporarily halts operations due to safety concerns, such as severe weather conditions, preventing flights from taking off or landing.
De-icing is the process of removing ice or snow from an aircraft's wings and surfaces to ensure safe flight operations, especially during winter weather.
Flight diversions happen when an aircraft is redirected to a different airport than originally planned, often due to weather, safety issues, or emergencies.
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