Manchester Airport suspends many flights due to snow
21st December 2009
Hundreds of people have been stranded overnight at Manchester Airport after flights were suspended due to heavy snowfall. Planes were grounded and incoming flights prevented from landing due to ice and snow on Sunday afternoon.
Staff have been working to clear the backlog and about 12 flights an hour are leaving the runways.
An airport spokeswoman said many passengers had to stay in the terminals because hotels were booked up.
"We have employed extra staff this morning to make sure we can get flights up and running as quickly as possible.
"The snow has caused some problems but the main issue has been with the ice. It is a huge site so it is taking time to clear and be made safe," she added.
Roads closed
Many flights were left circling and hovering above the runways until it was safe to land and some were diverted to airports nearby.
Blankets and food have been handed out to passengers and retailers stayed open throughout the night, the airport spokeswoman said.
Airport officials are warning people to check with their operators in advance.
Many roads around Greater Manchester have also been affected by the treacherous weather.
The outside lane on the M60 is covered in snow and many of the minor roads are extremely icy.
The Snake Pass through the Peak district and the A58 Halifax Road through Littleborough are still closed due to the snow.
Source: BBC News