Passengers were left grounded while motorists were stuck for hours as a flurry of snow led to travel carnage in Greater Manchester. Runways at Manchester Airport were closed for around two hours today (January 19) after a period of 'heavy snow' which kickstarted a morning of transport misery.
Several flights which had been due to land in Manchester were diverted to Birmingham, while passengers hoping to depart from the airport waiting hours before being able to jet off. Some travellers were left stuck on the tarmac in Birmingham for several hours before finally being able to make their way home.
One man, who asked not to be named, was stuck on an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi which landed in Birmingham for more than five hours before it finally made its way to Manchester. He said: "Nobody knows what's going on.
"We were due to land in Manchester and then all of a sudden we were circling around, and they said there was a problem. They wouldn't let us off the plane as there's no facilities to get the steps up to the door. There was no food or anything."
Another passenger took to Twitter to complain to Etihad, writing shortly before midday: "Why are we still sat on Flight EY15 at Birmingham!! This flight was supposed to get into Manchester 5.50am!!!"
A couple from Prestwich, who were due to land in Manchester from Doha at 6am, said they had 'circled for about 30 minutes' before they landed in Birmingham. "We have been very well looked after and have been given coffee and chocolate," they added.
It wasn't just air travel that was affected by the weather either. Snowfall to the south of Manchester this morning led to roadworks overrunning on the M56, between junctions five at Manchester Airport and six at Hale.
The issue caused huge delays of more than an hour all the way back to the M60, tailing back as far as Denton Island on the clockwise side. It caused carnage on other roads through the city as drivers tried to avoid the motorway, with bus services and Metrolink trams on the Airport line also affected by the disruption.
Wintry weather also led to poor driving conditions, with a Met Office warning for snow and ice in force until midday for most of the North West. The M6 was hit by two collisions south of Wigan, while a crash on the A57 at Cadishead also led to delays.
Temporary traffic lights on Trinity Way in Salford, near to Manchester city centre, only added to the strain for drivers - causing queues on Regent Road and Mancunian Way. A spokesperson for North West Motorway Police urged motorists: "Remember if you take extra care walking because of ice, you should be taking extra care driving."
Commenting on the Abu Dhabi to Manchester flight, a spokesperson for Etihad Airways said: "Etihad Airways flight EY015 from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Manchester (MAN) on January 19 has diverted to Birmingham (BHX) due to heavy snowfall at Manchester Airport. Subsequently, the return flight EY016 from Manchester on 19 January has been delayed.
"Guests booked to travel on these flights are being assisted with their travel arrangements by Etihad teams. The safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our number one priority, and we regret any inconvenience caused by this disruption."
Manchester Airport insisted 'health and safety will always be our top priority' as it closed off its runways for around two hours following the snow. As they reopened, a spokesperson added: "We thank passengers for their patience. Passengers should continue to contact their airline for the most up-to-date flight information."
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