Storm Austen led to widespread flight cancellations and diversions across Western Europe on Friday, 23 October 2026. The Channel Islands, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium experienced weather-related disruptions, with Jersey reporting 41 canceled flight movements amid strong winds reaching 61–70 knots.
Flight Cancellations and Diversions Across Multiple Airports
Jersey Airport cancelled 41 flight operations, comprising 22 departures and 19 arrivals, according to data from Aerosillage. Guernsey Airport also faced extensive disruption, with normal operations resuming the following day. In western France, Brest Airport recorded 11 canceled flights, while Caen Airport had three cancellations. Transavia departures from Nantes Airport were likewise affected by the storm’s impact.
At Paris
Charles de Gaulle, aircraft were diverted to Paris Orly and other nearby airports due to adverse weather conditions. Brussels Airport received diverted flights but also lost an arriving service redirected elsewhere. A Brussels Airlines flight en route from Marseille was diverted to Amsterdam Schiphol. Several planes initially destined for French airports landed at Brussels Airport (Zaventem) instead.
KLM cancelled 20 flights on 23 October and announced an additional 22 cancellations scheduled for 24 October because of strong winds at Schiphol Airport. Despite the cancellations, Schiphol reported only limited disruption outside of KLM’s adjustments.
Official Warnings and Airline Communications
Jersey authorities issued a red wind warning
forecasting gusts between 61 and 70 knots ahead of Storm Austen. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed the diversion of flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to other airports including Paris Orly. Brussels Airport spokeswoman Ihsane Chioua Lekhli acknowledged several diversions related to the storm, including the rerouting of flights to Amsterdam Schiphol.
A KLM spokesperson attributed the cancellations at Schiphol to strong winds associated with the storm. No consolidated Europe-wide cancellation figures were provided, underscoring the localized and variable nature of the disruption.
Ground Transport and Additional Weather Risks
Besides airborne disruptions, the storm also caused interruptions to ground transportation. Rail services were affected, and
fallen trees led to road restrictions limiting airport access in the impacted regions. Storm Boelo was forecast to bring further weather disturbances to Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England over the weekend, posing additional challenges for flight operations and passenger travel.
