Extreme weather does not affect aviation in one place or at one moment. A severe storm can disrupt aircraft sequencing, ground operations, infrastructure, diversion planning and network capacity at the same time. Heat can influence aircraft performance while also affecting people and equipment on the ground. Flooding may begin as a local airport issue but quickly lead to delays, rerouting and operational pressure elsewhere in the network.
This complexity sits at the centre of JAA Training Organisation (JAA TO) Effects of Extreme Weather in Aviation course, developed within the EU-funded ALBATROS project, performed through the SESAR Joint Undertaking.
Led by JAA TO Primary Instructor Tiago Ludgero, the five-day programme looks at extreme weather as a system-wide aviation issue. It connects meteorology with aircraft performance, airport infrastructure, ground operations, air traffic management, risk assessment and crisis response.
The perspectives of recent course participants offer a particularly useful view of that complexity. Martin Nijhof, Senior Flight Safety Investigator at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, approaches the subject through incident and accident investigation. Vasileios Kokkotas, Head of Airside Operations at Athens International Airport, sees the same risks from the operational and infrastructure side of an airport.
Their roles in aviation chain are different, but together they show how quickly one weather event can cut across organisational and operational boundaries.
From an operational hazard to a wider system problem
For Martin Nijhof, one of the most immediate challenges remains turbulence, but he also points to the wider operational consequences of rapidly changing weather around airports.
“A real challenge is the prevention of turbulence-related incidents and accidents. Another factor concerns the unexpected development of convective activity in the terminal area of the destination of long-haul flights. This has the potential to result in prolonged holding and/or multiple diversions to alternate airports, which may exceed the capacity of diversion airports to handle these diversions.”
This is where the discussion moves beyond a single weather hazard. A deterioration in conditions at one airport can create operational consequences across several others. Holding, diversions, capacity constraints and resource limitations can begin to interact. From an investigation perspective, that interaction is particularly important.
AI-assisted tools were used in the creation of this graphic.
Martin also points to the value of case-based learning in understanding those interactions.
“Although I have no insight into the knowledge that ground staff already have, I believe raising awareness through the use of the case studies that were presented is very useful. In addition, the use of the matrix which assigns points to weather phenomena is a useful tool.”
His perspective points to a broader lesson: severe weather rarely creates risk through a single factor. The real challenge lies in how weather, operational pressure, capacity and human decisions interact and in recognising those connections early enough to make better decisions.
The airport view: resilience starts before the disruption
Where Martin focuses on how risks combine during operations, Vasileios Kokkotas places particular emphasis on what needs to happen before an extreme weather event occurs.
From an airside operations perspective, weather can affect multiple parts of the airport simultaneously.
“The most relevant challenge is managing the impact of increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events on safety and operational continuity. Events such as heatwaves, intense storms, strong winds and flooding can directly affect staff, aircraft operations, equipment and critical infrastructure.”
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That distinction between response and resilience is central to his experience of the programme.
“Traditionally, the focus is often on managing the immediate operational impact of an extreme weather event, but resilience also requires understanding vulnerabilities, assessing risks, and ensuring business continuity before an event occurs… As a result, I now place greater emphasis on the resilience of critical infrastructure, the robustness of operational processes, and the ability of the airport community to adapt and recover. The key takeaway for me is that preparing for extreme weather is not only about responding effectively on the day, but also about building long-term resilience into airport operations and infrastructure.”
For airports, this moves the conversation from emergency procedures towards longer-term questions around infrastructure, operational dependencies and business continuity. It also brings another issue into focus: coordination.
“One insight I found particularly valuable was the importance of building a common operating picture across all stakeholders. During extreme weather events, effective communication and coordinated decision-making can be just as important as the operational response itself. The course reinforced the value of early coordination, clear communication channels, and joint preparedness activities involving the airport operator, airlines, ground handlers, and service providers. These help ensure a more efficient response and a faster recovery when disruptions occur.”
From an airport operations perspective, resilience is therefore as much about coordination as infrastructure. The ability to absorb disruption depends on whether the organisations operating across the airport can recognise the same risks, act on shared information and make coordinated decisions before operational pressure starts to compound.
One subject, many operational realities
The participant perspectives also show why extreme weather cannot be treated as a specialist issue confined to meteorology or emergency response.
Its consequences are relevant across a broad range of aviation professions: flight safety, airport and airside operations, flight dispatch, air traffic management, ground handling, infrastructure, risk, compliance and business continuity. Each function experiences the same weather event differently, but their decisions are closely connected.
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The Effects of Extreme Weather in Aviation programme reflects this cross-functional reality. Over five days, participants examine how extreme conditions affect aircraft performance, airport infrastructure, ground operations, network capacity and operational decision-making, before connecting these issues with risk assessment, Safety Management Systems, crisis management and climate adaptation planning.
The objective is therefore broader than understanding weather phenomena themselves. It is to help aviation professionals recognise where operational vulnerabilities may emerge, how impacts can spread across the system, and how organisations can prepare for increasingly demanding conditions.
About JAA TO ✈️
The JAA Training Organisation (JAA TO) is a Dutch non-profit, self-financing organisation and the Associated Body of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). JAA TO has a history of 50+ years training the aviation industry and national authorities on regulation in the air transport sector. JAA TO is the only Platinum Training Centre of Excellence (TCE) in Europe recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). JAA TO is an IATA Dangerous Goods CBTA Centre of Excellence, an ACI World Accredited Training Partner, recognized Dutch National Aviation Security Training Centre and a leading member of the EASA Virtual Academy (EVA).
JAA TO schedules more than 300 training courses annually on topics such as safety, security, drones and management. Within the aviation community, JAA TO offers a platform to learn and exchange views on latest regulatory developments. In addition, JAA TO provides advisory services, knowledge solutions, training consultancy and assistance with capacity building for (aviation) training departments.
JAA TO press contact: Karl Schreiber
Marketing & Communications Manager
Email: kschreiber@jaato.com
Tel: +31 (0) 23 56 79 721
