Winter storm grounds flights, strands hundreds in northern Finland

A winter storm caused major travel disruption in Finland’s Lapland over the weekend, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and delays stretching into Monday. Around 20 flights to and from Rovaniemi were cancelled or delayed, while the airports of Kittilä and Ivalo were forced to suspend operations for several hours. About 1,000 travelers were still waiting to leave the region on Monday.

To manage overcrowding at Rovaniemi airport, authorities reopened an old terminal area, and the Finnish Red Cross provided blankets and mattresses for passengers who had to stay overnight. With Lapland in peak winter tourism season, hotel availability was limited. Finavia said airlines were responsible for arranging alternative transport and accommodation, but replacing aircraft was difficult due to the region’s remote and seasonal nature.

The disruption sparked local debate about Lapland’s preparedness for extreme weather during busy travel periods, with tourism officials calling for better contingency planning. The storm, known as Hannes in Finland and Johannes in Sweden, also caused widespread power outages and rail delays in both countries. In Finland, up to 190,000 households lost electricity at the height of the storm, while Sweden saw outages affecting around 50,000 homes. Long-distance trains in Finland were delayed by as much as seven hours, and Swedish media reported three deaths caused by falling trees.

Credit : CGTN