Skopje airport cancels 20 flights

As heavy fog looms over Skopje, causing a drop in visibility at the Skopje International Airport, airlines have cancelled 20 flights and rerouted one flight by 12:00 noon on Sunday.

Flights from Dortmund and Vienna have landed after 11 a.m., while the flight to Hamburg is expected to take off, TAV Macedonia said in a press release, CE Report quotes MIA.

TAV Macedonia notes that according to the weather forecast from the M-NAV Meteo Service, reduced visibility is expected for the rest of the day, as well as tomorrow.

"However, due to the variable weather conditions and airlines' tolerance for fog-reduced visibility, passengers are advised to check the Skopje Airport website, and stay in contact with the airlines for the latest flight information. For passengers and the public, we reiterate - Skopje International Airport is not closed. The airport is open, regardless of the weather conditions. Our staff, with our airport equipment and airport systems, are ready to serve both aircraft and passengers," reads the press release.

It adds that the airport is closed only by a special decision and a NOTAM advisory that alerts all air traffic stakeholders, filed only under exceptional situations when certain capacities at the airport related to aircraft servicing are not in operation, or in the event of a general emergency.

"All capacities at the Skopje International Airport are in operation, hence we are open to air traffic. In all cases of fog, the Skopje International Airport is not closed, but remains open. In the meantime, we are waiting for the M-NAV Meteo Service, as the aviation authority overseeing air navigation, to inform us of improvement in weather conditions - both us as the airport operator and the airlines, whose pilots make the decisions whether to land or reroute to another airport depending on the current minimum visibility that the airline itself has decided to accept," the press release adds.

All changes to the regular flight schedule are updated in real time and available at the Skopje International Airport's website - https://skp.airports.com.mk/. Passengers can contact the Information Desk, which operates 24/7, for information about the status of their flights, or dial the number 02 3148 333.

According to TAV Macedonia, sixteen flights have been cancelled and eleven rerouted at the Skopje International Airport by 6 p.m. on Saturday as heavy fog in Skopje reduced visibility. Weather conditions have improved since 12 p.m., allowing three flights to arrive and another three flights to take off.

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Photo: MIA archive