Chaos at Zurich Airport: 70 flights cancelled due to severe thunderstorms

70 flights were cancelled and more than 30 diverted last night as severe thunderstorms heavily disrupted operations at Zurich Airport and in the surrounding area. 

Flights disrupted on Tuesday evening

After the recent extreme heat, Switzerland was hit by severe thunderstorms on the evening of Tuesday, June 30. Passengers travelling to and from Zurich Airport faced disruption as 70 flights were cancelled and 30 diverted, a Zurich Airport spokesperson confirmed to 20 Minuten.

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning over the airport meant over 30 flights on their way to Zurich were forced to divert to nearby airports in Stuttgart, Geneva and Basel. 

A further 44 flights were cancelled, including 24 landings and 20 takeoffs, and several aircraft were unable to return to Zurich, resulting in aircraft and crew shortages on Wednesday morning. A special permit was granted outside the 11.30pm operating curfew to allow 29 flights to land and depart on Tuesday evening.

As of 7am on Wednesday morning, a total of 70 flights have been cancelled. Flight operations largely returned to normal on Wednesday morning, although there are some cancellations. Visit the Zurich Airport website for the most up-to-date travel information. 

Passengers stuck in Zurich overnight

Many travellers were left stuck in Zurich, and it was “chaos at the airport”, 20 Minuten reported. According to a news scout, “Everyone is helpless, running around aimlessly, not knowing where to go [...] Flight after flight is being cancelled. People are sleeping here. You can't get the help you need.”

A Zurich airport spokesperson confirmed that several passengers were given “overnight kits" and help desks and airport security remained open longer to accommodate travellers where possible. 

Thunderstorm warning in place

The storm was felt in other areas of the canton too, with Nau reporting that fire brigades received 700 calls in the middle of the night, roads were flooded, and a forest fire was triggered by lightning in canton Uri. 

As of 10am on Wednesday morning, a level three thunderstorm warning is in place until 8pm this evening across parts of Switzerland. Severe weather can cause damage to trees, trigger landslides, or cause sudden flash floods. Find out the latest in your area on the MeteoSwiss website.