Storm Floris Brings Travel Mayhem Across UK and Europe as Flights, Ferries, and Trains Cancelled in Scotland and Ireland
Several thousand travellers across the United Kingdom and mainland Europe woke up to travel chaos on Tuesday, as Storm Floris unleashed violent winds and triggered widespread disruptions to trains, flights, and ferries--particularly in Scotland, Ireland, and the north of England.
Rail services in Northern Scotland are among the worst hit. Transport authorities confirmed more than 30 major railway routes were closed or severely disrupted overnight due to uprooted trees and overhead line damage.
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No trains departed from or arrived at Inverness by Tuesday morning, stranding passengers bound for Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London.
Even the long-distance Highland Chieftain LNER service to the UK capital was cancelled, while rail-replacement buses struggled to manage the load.
On the western seaboard, more than half of Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes remain suspended. Routes between Oban, Colonsay, and Islay are fully cancelled for the day, with other routes liable to disruption without notice.
Strong coastal winds exceeding 90mph have made operations nearly impossible, with warnings in place for further cancellations.
Air travel across Ireland, Scotland, and northern France has also been battered. Flights attempting to land at Aberdeen airport were forced to turn back mid-air or divert to alternate destinations such as Prestwick, including aircraft operated by British Airways, KLM, and Ryanair.
The situation caused a ripple effect into Tuesday’s flight schedule, with outbound services from Aberdeen to London Heathrow and Amsterdam already cancelled by early morning.
Meanwhile, passengers flying from the EU into the UK faced delays, missed connections, and uncertainty over refunds or rebooking. Airlines such as Loganair and Ryanair have issued limited waiver policies for affected passengers, waiving change fees for those rescheduling within seven days.
The UK Met Office and local meteorological agencies in Ireland and France have issued red and orange weather warnings, citing ongoing risks of coastal flooding, inland flash floods, and damaging wind gusts.
In Scotland, where the storm’s impact has been most visible, recovery is expected to take at least 48 hours. Network Rail teams continue to coordinate damage assessment, but full resumption of services remains uncertain.
With Storm Floris pushing weather systems westward, travellers in Ireland, France, and northern parts of mainland Europe are advised to brace for extended disruptions.
The European aviation and rail watchdogs are expected to issue updated advisories through the day.