French Regulator Orders Paris Flight Cuts Amid Snow Chaos

January 5, 2026 at 03:53 PM•2 min read

French civil aviation authority reportedly asked airlines to reduce flights by 15 percent at Paris' three airports (CDG, Orly, Beauvais) due to heavy snow and ice.

Key Points

1French civil aviation authority (DGAC) reportedly requested a 15 percent flight reduction at Paris' three airports (CDG, Orly, Beauvais) due to heavy snow.
2Ground transport was severely affected with 220km of 'exceptional' traffic jams reported and bus/suburban train services disrupted.
3Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot warned against driving on Tuesday morning, with freezing temperatures expected to make road conditions very difficult.
4RATP is running trains all night on select lines to prevent freezing, aiming for a full public transport service on Tuesday morning.

Heavy snow began falling in Paris on Monday afternoon. This weather event has caused significant travel chaos across the region. Much of northern and western France is under an orange alert for snow and ice.

Aviation Operations Impact

The French civil aviation authority (DGAC) has reportedly acted. It asked airlines to reduce flights by 15 percent.

This reduction applies to all three major Paris airports. These include Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais. The request has led to a number of flight cancellations. Other arrivals into Paris are also facing delays. However, flights are still taking off and landing in Paris. Passengers should contact their airline before traveling to the airport.

This proactive measure aims to ensure safe and efficient operations. Adverse weather often requires airport and airline adjustments. De-icing procedures take longer in snowy conditions. This impacts overall airport capacity and flow.

Ground Travel Disruption

The snowy conditions have severely affected road travel. A temporary speed limit of 80km/h has been applied. This is a standard bad weather precaution. Traffic monitors reported 'exceptional' tailbacks by 3:30 pm. There were 220km of traffic jams around the Paris region. Drivers were attempting to leave work early.

Public transport networks are also experiencing disruption. The transport operator RATP reports that Metro services are running normally. However, some bus routes have been canceled. Buses were called back to the depot in certain areas. Parts of the RER and Transilien suburban train networks are also suffering weather-related disruption.

Overnight and Tuesday Forecast

Freezing temperatures are predicted for the overnight period. This suggests travel will be especially difficult on Tuesday morning. Transport minister Philippe Tabarot issued a strong warning. He advised people not to use their cars if possible. Road conditions are expected to be very difficult early Tuesday. Hundreds of transport agents and road police have been deployed.

The RATP is taking steps to mitigate freezing. It will run a select number of trains all night. This includes above-ground Metro lines. The operator hopes to offer a full service on Tuesday morning. This preemptive action is crucial for maintaining essential services. Aviation stakeholders rely on smooth ground transport. This is vital for crew and passenger movements. For more commercial aviation news, visit flying.flights.

Snowfall totals have been significant across the wider region. Falls of up to 10cm were reported. This occurred in Normandy, Brittany, and other western départements.