Heavy snow forces Geneva airport to suspend all flights

[GENEVA]The heavy snowfall lashing Europe forced Geneva airport to suspend all air traffic on Thursday, while trains in Switzerland were also facing delays.

"Because of the prevailing weather conditions, Geneva Airport is currently closed to air traffic until further notice," the airport said on its website.

"We therefore advise passengers not to come to the airport for the time being," it said, recommending instead that "passengers check with their airline to see if their flight is still scheduled for departure".

The news came as fresh heavy snowfalls and icy blizzards lashed much of Europe Thursday as the region shivers in a deadly deep-freeze that has gripped countries from the far north to the Mediterranean south.

Switzerland has in recent days seen temperatures plunge to nearly -40 degrees Celsius at higher altitudes.

At Switzerland's other main airport, Zurich, air traffic did not appear to have been heavily impacted by the weather conditions, although there were some delays on Thursday morning, Swiss public broadcaster RTS reported.

Ice meanwhile led to a number of accidents on Swiss motorways Thursday, while the country's famed rail system was impacted.

The Neuchatel train station was closed to traffic, while delays were expected on a number of lines across the country, RTS reported.

AFP