Europe flight disruptions hit 2,649 services at Heathrow, Gatwick, Schiphol, and Charles de Gaulle

Disruption overview

A broad wave of disruption across Europe left passengers facing long waits, missed connections, and last-minute cancellations after 2,649 services were affected in the 24 hours before publication. Major pressure points included London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, while easyJet, KLM, and Lufthansa were among the airlines dealing with high numbers of delays and cancellations. Hundreds of travelers were still stranded as airports and airlines tried to clear the backlog. With adverse weather, air traffic control restrictions, and ground staffing shortages all feeding the disruption, compensation is usually unlikely under EC 261, but airlines should still provide care, rerouting, or refunds where needed.

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Disruption details

Passengers traveling through London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport faced widespread disruption on 28 May 2026. In the previous 24 hours, 2,497 departures were delayed and 152 flights were canceled, bringing the total to 2,649 disrupted services across Europe.

For passengers, this meant missed connections, hours-long queues, sudden gate changes, and very little clear information at a time when plans were already falling apart. Hundreds of travelers were still stranded, and families with children, older passengers, and long-haul transit passengers were among those feeling the strain most.

Some travelers ended up sleeping on airport floors while nearby hotels saw a rise in last-minute bookings. When disruption builds across several major hubs at once, even a short delay can quickly turn into a much longer wait for anyone trying to rebook or continue an onward journey.

The disruption affected travelers in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark, and the biggest pressure points were:

• 2,497 delayed departures over 24 hours.

• 152 cancellations over the same period.

• Heavy disruption at London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

• Airlines including easyJet, KLM, and Lufthansa had large numbers of affected services.

Although easyJet, KLM, and Lufthansa stood out, this wasn't limited to one airline or one type of carrier. Both low-cost and full-service airlines were caught in the same bottleneck as capacity tightened.

The problem also spread beyond the biggest hubs. Flights feeding into London, Paris, and Amsterdam were delayed too, which made missed connections more likely and turned local disruption into a wider network issue.

Airlines were dealing with three overlapping problems at once: air traffic control flow restrictions, staffing shortages in ground operations, and poor weather across parts of Northern and Western Europe. Strong winds, reduced visibility, and intermittent storms forced controllers to reduce runway movements, shrinking capacity for everyone.

Once those restrictions began, the effects spread quickly. Even short suspensions left aircraft and crews out of position, created congestion in terminals, and made it harder for airlines to recover their schedules. Cargo movements were delayed too, raising the risk of knock-on supply-chain disruption.

Airport and airline teams have started recovery work, including calling in extra staff, issuing revised rosters, and drafting contingency schedules to clear the backlog. Even with those steps, recovery may take days if more weather problems or further air traffic control restrictions follow.

If your flight was affected, standard compensation is unlikely for most passengers here. Because much of the disruption was linked to weather and air traffic control restrictions outside the airlines' control, EC 261 compensation usually won't apply.

That doesn't mean you're without support. Your airline should still offer rerouting or a refund if your flight was canceled, and it should provide care during long waits, including food, refreshments, and accommodation with transport if you're stranded overnight. If you'd like to better understand your rights or check whether compensation could still apply on your journey, AirHelp's free flight checker is a simple place to start.

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