TRAVELLERS ARE FACING transport chaos right across Europe as they try to get home for Christmas.

Flights have been cancelled and seriously delayed in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

Dublin, Shannon, Knock, Cork and Belfast International airports are all open and operational this morning,  but warn that disruption to flight schedules is likely because of conditions in other European airports.

Air passengers are advised to check with their airline before leaving for the airport.

London’s Heathrow Airport has been particularly affected by the bad weather, with many flights to and from the airport cancelled over the weekend. Some people now face delays of up to five days. Passengers whose flights were cancelled have been bedding down until they can fly out.  One million people were due to pass through the airport this week, according to the Telegraph.

Locally, AA Roadwatch says that temperatures in the west of Ireland are as low as minus 14 in some places and freezing temperatures are due to last across the country right up until Christmas Eve. Some snow could fall in the east, west and northwest tomorrow, with maximum temperatures reaching zero.

Met Éireann says that temperatures are expected to rise up to around eight or 10 degrees by Christmas Day, so a white Christmas seems unlikely at this stage.

Irish Rail is running a full service, while some Bus Éireann services are disrupted. One in four schools is likely to be closed today, Morning Ireland reports, and a number of schools have already posted notices on SchoolDays.ie.

For travel updates in Ireland, check the Department of Transport’s website, AA Roadwatch, or Twitter users can follow TheJournal.ie’s curated Big Freeze list.