During two hours, a KLM flight taxied around the runways to finally went back to the gate.
AMSTERDAM — For passengers aboard KLM flight KL1003 bound for London Heathrow this morning, the journey proved to be a “bridge to nowhere.”
In a striking display of the severe winter weather currently paralyzing Northern Europe, the flight’s brand-new Airbus A321neo (registration PH-AXA) spent over two hours on the ground at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport without ever leaving the tarmac.
The “Taxi to Nowhere”
Scheduled for a standard hop across the North Sea, the aircraft pushed back from its gate at 09:05 CET. However, instead of soaring toward London, the plane became a high-tech sledge.
According to data from Flightradar24, PH-AXA was observed circling the airport’s taxiways twice. After navigating the treacherous, icy paths for nearly 150 minutes, the crew eventually abandoned the departure.
At 11:30 CET, the aircraft was back at the gate, and the flight was subsequently listed as cancelled.
Schiphol: The World’s Most Disrupted Hub
The incident is part of a much larger operational collapse at Schiphol. For the fourth consecutive day, a relentless winter storm has brought the Netherlands’ primary hub to its knees.
- Runway Standstill: Earlier today, authorities confirmed that zero runways were available for a significant period due to heavy snow accumulation and the constant need for de-icing.
- Mass Cancellations: KLM alone has cancelled over 300 flights today, January 5, following a weekend where hundreds more were grounded.
- Wider Chaos: The disruption isn’t limited to the air; train services in the Amsterdam and Utrecht regions are currently at a standstill, leaving thousands of travelers stranded with few alternatives.
What’s Next for Travelers?
Meteorologists warn that the low-pressure system driving these wintry showers will linger. KLM has already warned that disruptions are expected to continue into Tuesday, January 6. Passengers are strongly advised not to travel to Schiphol if their flight has been cancelled and to manage rebookings via the airline’s digital platforms.
