Over 1000 flights Cancelled: The aftermath of Storm Éowyn

On January 24, 2025, Storm Éowyn struck the UK and Ireland resulting in over 1000 flight cancellations and several major incidents. Northern Ireland, Edinburgh, and Scotland faced staggering winds up to 100 mph. Whilst the Republic of Irelands windspeeds reached record-breaking winds at 183kph surpassing a previous 80-year record.

The Met Office issued a red weather warning for Storm Éowyn on January 23, 2025, due to extreme, dangerous weather conditions. Millions of homes and offices experienced power shortages. Hundreds of schools shut down, and rail and transport services were suspended. Despite dangerous air travel conditions many flights continued to operate. Although the storm has now moved out of the red zone, changing to yellow on January 25, 2025, the storm has caused countless aftermath effects.

Flight cancellations

On Friday airlines cancelled more than 1,000 flights scheduled to operate from major airports in the UK and Ireland. The high winds and hazardous conditions made it challenging for planes to take off and land.

Dublin Airport, typically experiencing around 600 flights a day, faced over 230 canceled flights. Edinburgh Airport typically seeing around 300 flights a day experienced 8 cancellations and Heathrow Airport usually managing over a thousand flights per day, faced 200 cancellations.

The following days these airports experienced increased flights and delays. Thousands of passengers face extended long wait times and uncertainty. Airlines have had to efficiently coordinate their operations to ensure a swift return to normality.

Storm Éowyn major disruptions on flight operations

Many flights on January 24 2025 that continued to operate faced many complications in the air. The extreme weather conditions caused plane landing terror and spread mayhem throughout the skies.

Aircraft at Heathrow Airport were seen struggling to safely land and withstand strong winds, swaying side to side.

Due to unsafe conditions, many airport aircraft decided to abort landings at the last minute. Observers at Manchester Airport witnessed a plane approaching the runway before aborting its landing.

Pilots bear the responsibility of hundreds of lives in their hands, during storms. This raises the question of passenger and crew safety. Should aviation authorities still allow flights to operate during intense weather conditions? Are governments prioritizing airport profits over passenger safety?

Storm Éowyn shocking airport aftermath

Two aircraft were heavily damaged at Teesside International Airport, being overturned by fierce winds.

Despite the planes being ‘secured and parked’ according to a spokesperson for AeroSchool at Teesside.

One damaged plane was the Cessna A150M, G-OMAS, despite only being last used on Jan 18, 2025. In the past, the airport primarily used this aircraft for flight training and general aviation. Plane PhD gives Cessna A150M an average value of around  $52,171.

The second aircraft reported damaged was a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. With an average value of around $80,000 according to Plane phD.

Making repairs significantly expensive.

Sabeela Imran

Sabeela is a dedicated aviation enthusiast, passionate about pursing a career in aviation management. She is committed to becoming a leader who will inspire innovation and make customer focused solutions. She is devoted to learning about new technological and digital advancements in aviation, and is keen to enhance her knowledge, researching the dynamics of aviation in depth. She hopes to inspire aspiring aviators.

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