Sissy Southerners

[Eki]

...have been forced to close their airports because of snow and now they wonder how the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is able to remain open:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12042213

[gloomyDAY]

Good planning leads to success. LHR seem to have been caught with their pants down.

Oh, I lmao! @ the thread title. I thought it was going to be about Kentucky.

[GridGirl]

The world is coming to an end? Oh no, it's just snow in the south east. Oh dear. Maybe we should release a charity single and send food parcels.

On a more serious note, it would make more financial sense to invest in better machiney to keep airports open. Particually so for big inter change hubs such as Heathrow. The whole situation would be a dream come true for the baddie in Die Hard 2.

[AndySpeed]

I don't believe in the 'north-south' divide in England. Born in SE England, spent 5 years in Lancashire. Same country.

[driveace]

well i know a guy who was flying out to Las vegas last Thursday from Heathrow,then after 4 days on to Los Angeles to catch a cruise ship for 8 day cruise.Well at this very moment 5 days later he is STILL in London.Should be out to LA tomorrow with Virgin BUT!!!!
Our local airport Leeds/Bradford,has no problems!! So get your fingers out heathrow!!!

[GridGirl]

There is no snow at Leeds Bradford though. I also doubt Leeds Bradford managed to stay open constantly when it snowed 2 weeks ago. The north is no better than London when it comes to dealing with snow.

[driveace]

There is no snow at Leeds Bradford though. I also doubt Leeds Bradford managed to stay open constantly when it snowed 2 weeks ago. The north is no better than London when it comes to dealing with snow.

Well your wrong grid girl,because i live within a mile of leeds/Bradford airport,and we have had lots of snow,but like the airports in Finland they are quickly sorted,as jet2 and Ryanair dont like to be stranded,my daughter lives on the take off flight path,and the first plane we hear go over is at 6.40 in amorning,there was a slight delay when we had the snow 2 mweeks ago,but they were still taking off at 9am.
AND leeds/bradford is britains highest airport i believe
unless you know better as you are employed there!!!

[GridGirl]

You seem to have taken offence driveace. Well I have to say that I havent been close to the airport today but there definitely wasn't any snow worth mentioning when I was in Leeds this morning. Two weeks ago maybe but not today. Its lovely to know that Leeds Bradford is the highest airport in the county. Im so proud.

[Easy Drifter]

It is a matter of equipment largely. Northern US airports and most major Cdn ones are equipped to handle large amounts of snow. Even so they do get shut down when there is two or three feet in a short time. Southern US airports can be shut down with just a little snow. It is not just plows it is often insufficient deicing gear. Planes cannot take off coated in ice.

[Mark in Oshawa]

the UK's big operations like Heathrow should have everything A JFK, Pearson Intl. or O' Hare has......because Heathrow is one of the 3 signature gateway airports to Europe for North American traffic. I read Frankfurt was still operating and so was Schiphol, but Heathrow being the closest to North America is the key.....