Winter often throws a curveball for the travel business. Snow and ice may seriously disrupt airport operations and airline schedules, despite the appeal of warm fires and wintry scenery. From de-icing planes to maintaining clear runways, winter operations require meticulous planning and execution.
Here are five ways airlines and airports deal with snow and ice to minimize winter disruptions. 1 Weather forecasting Anticipating and preparing for disruptions Accurate weather forecasting is the first line of defense when dealing with winter weather. The sooner they know a storm is coming, the better they can prepare.
Advanced meteorological tools : Airports and airlines rely on real-time weather data to predict snowstorms, ice formation, and other winter phenomena. Accurate forecasting allows airports to prepare snow removal teams, stockpile de-icing chemicals, and plan operational shifts well in advance. Key decisions : According to DTN, a company that provides weather analysis, forecasts, and data insights, airports follow three common winter-weather decision-making processes: adjusting flight schedules to avoid major snowstorms, closing sections of the airport to focus on key operational areas, and deploying additional resources to ensure runway safety.
Technology : These include friction testers that gauge the amount of traction between tires and the runway, sensor-equipped runways that provide real-time data on surface temperature, moisture content, general runway conditions.
