Poster: A snowHead
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Geneva-Cointrin airport has closed and will remain closed until at least lunchtime. No planes can land or take off because of the heavy snowfall. It has proved impossible to clear the runways quickly enough to guarantee complete safety.
According to spokesman Philippe Roy airport administrators will meet again late morning to reevaluate the situation. However as things stand, snow is still falling and no firm commitment as to when the airport will be reopened can be provided. The runways are very slippery and standard braking is impossible, explained Mr. Roy.
Some passengers were taken by coach to Zurich airport, where there have been few delays. Coaches full of British passengers en route from French resorts have been put in holding areas on the French side of the border to avoid congestion within the airport.
Mr Roy estimates that so far, 120 take-offs and landings have been cancelled or delayed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG, many thanks, I've been trying to call Geneva Airport all morning for information.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The airport is now open, as of 2pm CET. It was closed for a total of eight hours. However although departures resumed at 2pm, arrivals will only be possible from 5pm, according to spokesman Philippe Roy, the further delay being due to the clearance of snow from the tarmac and parking areas, which is still in progress.
Some 15 cms of snow fell during the morning, resulting in the closure of the airport for the first time since February 1985 (the longest closure ever, some 56 hours in total).
Airlines have yet to decide how many flights they will be able to operate to clear up the backlog. Some 150 coaches of British skiers heading for Geneva charter flights were blocked in France during the closure of the airport.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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None of our guests for next week were able to leave Luton, flights were rescheduled for tomorrow. If there's one thing worst than a long transfer day it's two transfer days in the same week.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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That's not a problem, I was chatting to some English people on the lift today and they'd a flight from GVA to make, given the awkward driving conditions they'll be a lot of people who'd have missed flights unless they were delayed as well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Very thankfully, we managed to get out on a delayed BA 735 at about 8.30pm. Total chaos at GVA, waited 1 1/2 hours to check in (and there were only about 5 parties in front of us. Everyone nearby very civilised and in good humour. Believe BA upgraded plane to a 767 instead of the usual smaller jets to get everyone out and in - so well done them.
But the MOST amazing powder in Murren yesterday morning - thigh deep and lighter fluffier stuff in quantity I have never seen.
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