'Storm Isha is causing some crazy diversions': Netizens react to Edinburgh-bound Ryanair flights landing in Cologne, Germany

Flights Resume From Gatwick Airport After Drone Activity Halted Christmas Getaway
Passengers are waiting amidst delayed flights due to Storm Isha (Image via Getty / @Jack Taylor)

Storm Isha is wreaking havoc on air travel to the United Kingdom and Ireland, compelling travelers to endure extensive diversions and, in some cases, redirecting flights to entirely different countries.

Storm Isha disrupted the travel plans of passengers aboard Ryanair flight FR2970, which was scheduled to touch down at Edinburgh Airport at 11:05 pm on Sunday evening. Departing from Tenerife South Airport at 6:40 pm local time, the flight faced unforeseen challenges.

After spending 5 hours and 40 minutes in the air, the plane made an unexpected diversion, landing at Cologne Bonn Airport at 01:20 am local time on Monday. This unplanned detour took the passengers more than 550 miles off course from their intended destination in Edinburgh.

Numerous flights to and from Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport faced cancellations on Sunday as a result of Storm Isha. Ten flights originally destined for Glasgow Airport were diverted to alternate airports such as Glasgow Prestwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, and London Stansted on Sunday.

13 scheduled departures from Glasgow Airport on Sunday, headed to cities like Belfast, Dublin, Paris, Bristol, and Kirkwall, were also canceled. The widespread cancellations underscored the significant impact of Storm Isha on air travel in the region.


Storm Isha forces flights off course: Destined landings redirected to alternative airports

Passengers bound for the United Kingdom and Ireland are experiencing extensive detours and, in some cases, redirection to alternate countries due to the disruption caused by Storm Isha affecting flight paths.

Ten flights originally destined for Glasgow Airport were diverted to alternate airports such as Glasgow Prestwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, and London Stansted on Sunday. Simultaneously, 13 scheduled departures from Glasgow Airport on Sunday, headed to cities like Belfast, Dublin, Paris, Bristol, and Kirkwall, were also canceled.

Storm Isha created a harrowing journey for passengers on Ryanair Flight FR633, transforming what should have been a two-hour flight from Copenhagen to Dublin, Ireland into a marathon 10-hour ordeal.

The flight was initially delayed and diverted to Manchester, where a four-hour stopover ensued. During the second attempt to reach Dublin, the aircraft circled for three hours before being diverted once again, this time to Liverpool.

Approximately one hour later, Ryanair's FR6761 flight from Seville was also redirected to Cologne Bonn Airport due to Storm Isha instead of its intended destination of Edinburgh. Following suit, Ryanair's FR816 flight from Dublin to Edinburgh touched down at Cologne Bonn Airport around 2:45 am on Monday (local time) after undergoing diversion.

Adding to the disruptions, a fourth flight, Ryanair's FR3598, landed in Cologne around 2:25 am on Monday, having been unable to land in Edinburgh due to adverse weather conditions, particularly high winds.

Travelers aboard Ryanair Flight 5911, en route to Dublin from Lanzarote in Spain, experienced a diversion to Bordeaux in France, turning what was supposed to be a straightforward trip into a six-hour journey, ultimately not reaching their intended final destination.

Memes started to pour in regarding flights changing destinations due to Storm Isha's disruptive winds:

Some passengers were really scared due to the flight diversions. They tweeted:

In north-east Scotland, the highest weather alert was issued for "extremely strong" winds, posing a threat to lives and the potential for structural damage to buildings.

Passengers aboard Ryanair Flight 5911 from Lanzarote in Spain to Dublin experienced a diversion to Bordeaux in France, turning their journey into a six-hour ordeal that did not reach their final destination.

In a similar situation, Ryanair Flight FR2970 from Tenerife, another Canary Island in Spain, initially aimed for Edinburgh but was diverted to Cologne, Germany.

Ryanair, Europe's largest discount carrier, is notably affected, especially since it operates from numerous airports across the UK and Ireland. Adding to the disruptions, a Wizz Air flight destined for London from Krakow, Poland, turned into a four-hour ordeal when it was diverted to Eindhoven in the Netherlands after three unsuccessful landing attempts at London's Gatwick Airport.

Dublin Airport, in a social media announcement, acknowledged that it is currently open, but Storm Isha is presenting a "significant challenge" for both departing and arriving flights.

As of 9:30 pm local time on Sunday, a total of 148 flights had been canceled, with 35 diversions reported by airlines. Despite the ongoing high winds, the airport confirmed its intention to remain open on Monday.

As a precautionary measure ahead of the anticipated strong winds associated with the storm reaching the Netherlands, Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport announced the cancellation of 130 flights scheduled for January 22. The decision was made to ensure the safety of operations at the airport in light of the expected adverse weather conditions.

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