Northern Finland freezes, all flights cancelled, tourists stranded

Mohan Sinha
14 Jan 2026, 19:20 GMT+10

The severe cold forced cancelations of flights at Kittilä airport, leaving thousands of tourists in northern Finland stranded over the weekend
Finland’s national public broadcaster Yle reported that on the morning of January 11, the temperature at the airport dropped to minus 37 degrees Celsius (minus 34.6 degrees Fahrenheit), making de-icing of aircraft and other operations difficult
The deep freeze will continue in Kittilä, in Finnish Lapland, in the sparsely populated north, with temperatures expected to reach almost minus 40 C (minus 40 F)

HELSINKI, Finland: The severe cold forced cancelations of flights at Kittilä airport, leaving thousands of tourists in northern Finland stranded over the weekend.

Finland's national public broadcaster Yle reported that on the morning of January 11, the temperature at the airport dropped to minus 37 degrees Celsius (minus 34.6 degrees Fahrenheit), making de-icing of aircraft and other operations difficult.

The deep freeze will continue in Kittilä, in Finnish Lapland, in the sparsely populated north, with temperatures expected to reach almost minus 40 C (minus 40 F).

Finns are used to cold winters, but this year's cold wave is harsher than usual and has hit large parts of northern, central, and eastern Europe. Heavy snow, strong winds, and icy roads have made travel difficult in many areas.

In Germany, train passengers were still facing long delays and cancellations on January 11 after Deutsche Bahn halted all rail service in the north on Friday due to heavy snow.

Authorities said all schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, the country's most populated western state, will stay closed and move to online classes due to forecasts of icy roads.

In the Baltic states, drivers in Estonia and Lithuania were urged to delay nonessential travel because of expected blizzards, while Latvia issued a snow warning for the western part of the country.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Middle East Star.

More Information

International Business

Section

Bank targets Gulf wealth surge with locally regulated offerings

DUBAI, U.A.E.: As global banks intensify their focus on fast-growing wealth hubs, HSBC is setting up an onshore asset management business...

Four-runway Bishoftu project aims to become Africa’s largest hub

BISHOFTU, Ethiopia: Ethiopia has kicked off construction of a vast new airport near its capital, a project officials say will transform...

Tractors choke Paris as farmers protest EU-South America deal

PARIS, France: French farmers blocked key roads and landmarks in Paris before dawn on January 8, escalating protests against a planned...

CBUAE, Bank of Finland strength partnership in financial stability, fintech

ABU DHABI, 14th January, 2026 (WAM) -- Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), welcomed Dr. Olli Rehn,...

Gold set to extend rally in 2026 as investors hedge against market bubbles: Report

New Delhi [India], January 14 (ANI): Gold is set to remain firmly in the spotlight in 2026 as investors brace for a year of strong...

Risky assets may outperform in 2026 amid AI boom: Report

New Delhi [India], January 14 (ANI): Risky assets are expected to outperform in 2026 as investors ride the artificial intelligence...

International

Section