Violent Storms Force Over Ten Flights to Reroute from Lyon Airport
Lyon, July 17, 2026 – Severe thunderstorms on Thursday significantly impacted operations at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (Colombier-Saugnieu), leading to the urgent diversion of at least ten incoming flights. The extreme weather conditions, characterized by heavy rain and large hailstones, rendered landing at Lyon too risky, causing considerable inconvenience for travelers.
The Rhône department and the wider Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region experienced extreme weather conditions on Thursday evening, with violent thunderstorms and very large hailstones. These dangerous conditions were deemed too hazardous for aircraft to land safely at Lyon Saint-Exupéry.
Multiple Diversions to Other Airports
The diversions began with an easyJet flight from Nantes, which was redirected to Marseille-Provence Airport. Another flight, operated by AirBaltic from Biarritz, was sent to Brussels. Later in the afternoon, several other flights were rerouted to Marseille instead of Lyon, including a Malta MedAir flight from Toulouse and two Transavia flights from Athens and Bari, respectively.
Montpellier Airport also received diverted flights, including a KLM flight from Bastia, a Transavia flight from Tlemcen, and an easyJet flight from Porto. An aircraft from Setif was urgently rerouted to Milan, Italy, unable to reach the tarmac in Lyon.
Cancellations and Unexpected Stops
In addition to diversions, flights from Barcelona and Amsterdam were canceled entirely. Lyon Airport also became an unexpected stop for a Transavia flight from Nice to Strasbourg. Due to the dangerous weather conditions in Strasbourg, the flight could not proceed to its original destination, resulting in a significant delay for passengers who were informed of the change before departure.
“Catastrophic” Experience for Passengers
A journalist from the Alsatian radio station TopMusic, who was on board the Nice-Strasbourg flight, described the experience as “catastrophic.” He reported a lack of information during the flight and growing tensions between frustrated passengers and the beleaguered crew. Passengers spent the night in Lyon before being able to take a TGV from Part-Dieu to Strasbourg the following morning, Friday.
The disruptions highlight the significant impact that severe weather can have on air travel, even with modern forecasting and air traffic control systems. Authorities are working to minimize further inconvenience for affected passengers and to ensure the safety of all air operations.
Source: https://actu.fr/https:/actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/colombier-saugnieu_69299/au-moins-10-avions-deroutes-d-urgence-en-plein-vol-apres-une-alerte-aux-orages-violents-a-l-aeroport-de-lyon_64555432.html
