If you’ve tried to fly through Paris or London this morning, you probably already know it’s a total mess. Aviation travel news Europe today is dominated by a brutal combination of winter storms and "industrial action"—which is basically just a fancy way of saying everyone is on strike again.
Honestly, it’s a lot to keep track of. One minute you're checking your gate, the next you're staring at a "Cancelled" red text on the board because a snow squall hit Istanbul or ground crews in Italy decided to walk out.
The Current Chaos at Major Hubs
Right now, as of January 15, 2026, we are seeing over 1,400 delays across the continent.
It’s not just one airline. Air France, British Airways, and KLM are all taking hits. If you're heading to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), they’ve already scrapped 14 flights today. London Heathrow is struggling with heavy snow, which has messed up about 155 schedules so far.
Turkey is arguably seeing the worst of it. Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen is basically a parking lot for planes because of high winds and snow. Pegasus Airlines has had to cancel a dozen flights there already.
Why today is particularly annoying
It's the middle of January. Most people are trying to get back to business after the holidays, but the weather in Central and Eastern Europe isn't playing along. Countries like the Czech Republic and Hungary are expecting these disruptions to last at least through tomorrow, January 16.
If you're stuck, remember that the airlines are legally obligated to help you, even if they blame the "weather."
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New Rules for Your Wallet (The EU 261 Update)
There is a huge debate happening in Brussels right now that is going to change how much money you get when a flight is late. For years, the magic number was three hours. If your flight was three hours late, you got paid.
Well, the EU Council is trying to push that to four hours for short flights.
For long-haul trips—anything over 3,500 kilometers—they want to make you wait six hours before you can claim a dime. It feels kinda like a step backward for passengers, doesn't it? On the flip side, they are looking at forcing airlines to respond to claims within two weeks. No more waiting six months for an email that never comes.
The baggage win
One cool thing that might actually happen this year is a "unified" hand luggage rule. The EU is sick of every airline having different sizer boxes. They want a standard 40x30x15 cm bag to be free on every EU airline. It’s small—basically just a backpack—but at least it's consistent.
Digital Borders: EES is Finally Here (Sorta)
If you aren't an EU citizen, your passport isn't getting a stamp anymore. Or at least, it won't be soon.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) started rolling out late last year and is supposed to be fully functional by April 10, 2026. This is the system where they take your photo and scan your fingerprints at the border.
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- Who is affected? Basically everyone from the UK, US, and Canada.
- What's the hold-up? It's being "phased in." Some airports have the scanners; some are still using the old ink stamps.
- The ETIAS delay: You might have heard about the €7 travel fee (ETIAS). Good news: you don't need it yet. That has been pushed back to late 2026.
Where You’ll Be Flying This Summer
Despite the winter gloom, airlines are already loading their summer 2026 schedules. This is where the aviation travel news Europe today actually gets exciting.
United Airlines is going hard on "secondary" cities. Instead of just flying to Rome or Madrid, they’re launching direct flights from Newark to Bari, Italy and Split, Croatia starting in May.
American Airlines is following suit. They’re launching a direct flight from Philadelphia to Budapest and Prague. If you’ve ever tried to get to Prague from the States, you know how much of a pain the connections can be, so a direct 787 Dreamliner is a big deal.
Eurowings is also expanding. They’re adding a "Capital Express" from Berlin that goes straight to Lisbon and London. They’re also dumping more flights into Mallorca, because apparently, Europe can never have enough trips to the Balearic Islands.
Sustainable Fuel: Why Your Ticket is Getting Pricier
You might notice a "green fee" on your receipt lately. That’s because of the ReFuelEU mandate.
As of January 1, 2026, Switzerland officially joined the EU's fuel rules. Airports in Zurich and Geneva now have to blend at least 2% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into their tanks.
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The problem? SAF is incredibly expensive to make. It’s 10 times more expensive than regular jet fuel in some cases. Airlines are passing those costs directly to us. By 2050, that 2% blend has to hit 70%, so don't expect "ultra-low-cost" flights to stay ultra-low for much longer.
How to Handle the Disruptions Right Now
If you are traveling today or in the next few weeks, don't just wing it.
First, download the airline's app. I know, nobody wants another app, but they usually push cancellation alerts 20 minutes before they show up on the airport screens.
Second, check your "EU 261" rights. If your flight is delayed and it’s the airline’s fault (like a mechanical issue or a crew shortage), they owe you food vouchers and potentially hundreds of euros. If it’s weather, they still have to provide "duty of care"—meaning a hotel and meals—even if they don't have to pay you cash compensation.
Third, if you're flying into an EES-active airport (like Paris or Amsterdam), give yourself an extra hour for border control. Those fingerprint scanners are still glitchy and the lines are longer than they used to be.
Next Steps for You:
- Check your flight status on a tracker like FlightAware before you even leave for the airport.
- Verify if your destination airport is one of the "phased" EES zones to anticipate longer immigration lines.
- If you’re booking for summer, look at those new direct routes to Bari or Split before the seats fill up.