Thousands stranded at Paris airport on Christmas Eve

Thousands of travellers were stranded at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport on Christmas Eve, as airport authorities admitted to a shortage of anti-freeze. All airlines have been asked to halve their incoming and outgoing flights.

Reuters

Stranded passengers woke up on Friday morning at France's Charles de Gaulle, with no guarantee they would reach their destination in time for Christmas.

Snow and below-freezing temperatures have again thrown airport authorities into disarray, one day after they cleared a backlog of flights at Charles de Gaulle’s airport.

More travel misery was expected on Christmas Day as authorities admit they were struggling to get hold of glycol, the liquid used to de-ice aircraft.

Transport Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who visited the airport late Thursday, warned that the delays could, for some passengers, extend into Christmas Day.

At CDG airport staff has been setting up beds for passengers who will be forced to spend the night at the airport. On Monday, thousands of stranded passengers spent up to two nights on makeshift beds when a cold snap caused flurry of cancellations.

"It's unacceptable!" protested one man, who had been due to fly to Casablanca, Morocco for his brother's wedding in an interview with the AFP.

"Everyone's blaming each other, the company, the airport management," said his tearful wife.

No cancellations have been reported at Paris’ Orly airport.

For flight information at Charles de Gaulle airport click here.