Paris’s main airports are bracing for severe disruption on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, as a major snowstorm forces airlines to cancel large numbers of flights across the capital’s aviation network.
France’s transport minister, Philippe Tabarot, confirmed that around 100 flights have already been cancelled at Roissy–Charles de Gaulle Airport, while approximately 40 flights are affected at Orly Airport. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Tabarot said the snowstorm forecast for Wednesday is expected to be more severe than the one that disrupted travel earlier in the week, prompting authorities to act in advance.
Under measures ordered by France’s civil aviation authorities, airlines will be required to significantly reduce operations during key parts of the day. At Charles de Gaulle, around 40 percent of flights are set to be cancelled between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. At Orly, approximately 25 percent of scheduled flights will not operate between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cuts are intended to allow ground crews to clear runways and safely manage aircraft movements during the worst conditions.
Passengers planning to travel from Paris on Wednesday have been urged to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport, particularly for morning departures. Authorities warned that further adjustments remain possible depending on how the weather develops.
The cancellations reflect the complex operational challenges airports face during heavy snowfall. Snow-covered runways require continuous clearance using specialised equipment, while aircraft must undergo mandatory de-icing before departure. Each aircraft is treated individually with de-icing fluids, significantly increasing ground handling times and reducing overall airport capacity.
With forecasts pointing to heavy and persistent snowfall, officials opted for proactive flight reductions to prevent a complete standstill later in the day. “These measures are necessary to guarantee safety while allowing teams to carry out snow removal and de-icing operations effectively,” the transport ministry said.
At Beauvais–Tillé Airport, which primarily serves low-cost carriers, no mandatory flight cancellations have been imposed. However, airport operators warned that delays are affecting some services as a knock-on effect of the wider weather system.
The disruption at Paris airports comes as cold weather and snowfall continue to affect large parts of France, raising the risk of further travel disruption across air, rail and road networks in the days ahead.
