A Scottish airport has resumed operations after temporarily halting flights due to “freezing conditions”. Several flights from Aberdeen Airport on Tuesday were cancelled as snow and ice caused the runway to freeze.
Workers had been working hard to clear the airfield of snow and de-ice the ground after it was forced to suspend all flights as it worked to make the area safe amid the baltic conditions. The weather also meant 19 schools and nurseries in Aberdeenshire and six in Moray were forced to remain shut, while another 20 schools in the Highland Council area were also affected.
Temperatures plummeted to -13C in parts of the Highlands as the Arctic blast continues. The Met Office issued a new yellow weather warning until midday on Wednesday for parts of the country, covering Orkney, Shetland, Dumfries & Galloway, across Ayrshire, the Highlands and Grampians.
A British Airways flight to London Heathrow, a KLM flight to Amsterdam and two flights to Norway were cancelled amidst the weather chaos. AGS Airports confirmed that flights have now resumed.
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A spokesperson said passengers should continue to check their flights with airlines. They said: “Our teams have been working throughout the night to clear snow and de-ice the airfield.
“Due to the ongoing freezing conditions, it’s been necessary to pause operations. Flights will resume when it is safe to do so. We would advise passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline and to take extra care when travelling to the airport.”
Aberdeen Airport has advised passengers to check with their airlines following the weather
In total three flights were cancelled and eight were delayed due to the works. Aberdeenshire Council claimed the school closures were due to transport concerns for teachers and pupils.
A spokesperson said the closures were “never an easy decision” for headteachers to make, adding: “They are certainly not taken lightly, involving a range of factors such as ability of staff to travel safely and availability of pupil transportation.
“Where possible, schools will provide a delayed opening to allow staff and children to travel safely and work will be provided via online platforms should schools be closed.”
It comes after more than 80 schools throughout the north east were unable to open at all on Monday. Transport Scotland warned travellers to take extra care on the roads and allow extra time for their journeys.
Douglas Cairns of Transport Scotland told BBC Scotland News that the travel network had “coped relatively well” with the weather on Monday. He added: “We’ve dealt with challenges faced along the way. The Highlands and Islands area has been more prone to the weather – that’s probably normal for this time of year.”
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