Airlines have warned passengers to expect possible disruption this weekend as Storm Goretti sweeps across the UK with ice, snow and strong winds, prompting weather alerts and operational challenges at major airports.
Ryanair and Jet2 both issued statements urging customers to monitor official channels and prepare for last-minute schedule changes as winter conditions intensify.
Ryanair said there was “potential disruption” to flights to and from the UK due to de-icing measures on runways. The airline said affected passengers would be notified directly and encouraged all travellers flying to or from the UK to keep a close watch on the Ryanair app for the latest updates.
Jet2 said it would be closely monitoring conditions from Saturday through to Monday following fresh warnings issued by the Met Office. In a statement to customers, the airline said amber weather warnings had been issued for parts of the UK due to Storm Goretti, with forecasts highlighting high winds, rain, sleet and snow continuing into the weekend.
The airline said it planned to operate flights as close to schedule as possible but warned disruption could occur if conditions or forecasts deteriorate. Passengers were advised to travel to airports and check in as normal, while paying close attention to updates from airline operations teams tasked with managing weather-related disruption.
Storm Goretti has already caused widespread impacts across the country, with reports of trees felled, flooding in low-lying areas, towns blanketed in snow and roads turned into ice-rink conditions.
On Thursday night, Birmingham Airport was forced to suspend runway operations after heavy snow made flying unsafe. At the same time, Heathrow Airport cancelled dozens of flights as severe weather disrupted schedules.
Although conditions have eased slightly in some areas, a yellow warning for snow and ice remained in place until 3 pm on Saturday, with further snowfall possible across northern England and much of Scotland. Forecasts indicate an additional 2-5 cm of snow in affected areas, with up to 10-20 cm possible above 200 metres.
A separate yellow warning for ice covered large parts of England and Wales until midday on Saturday, as partially thawed snow refroze amid wintry showers and freezing fog. In Northern Ireland, a yellow warning for snow and ice was in force until 11 am, with forecasters warning of icy patches and hill snow.
Looking ahead to Sunday, yellow weather warnings extend across northern England, all of Northern Ireland and the whole of Scotland for a mix of rain, wind, snow and ice. Central Scotland is under an amber warning for snow from 3 am until 2 pm, with up to 30 cm forecast on higher ground.
