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Storm Austen on 23 October: flights and airports in Brittany, Normandy and northern France on orange alert

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Storm Austen is sweeping across north-west France on Friday 23 October 2026. According to Météo-France's bulletin issued at 4pm on 22 October, 15 departments from Brittany to Hauts-de-France are on orange wind alert. No national count of cancelled flights was available on Thursday evening, but delays, diversions and cancellations are possible at airports in these regions.

Where and when the orange alert applies

Based on Météo-France bulletins reported by Selectra, the orange alert runs from midnight to 2pm in Finistère, Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique, and from midnight to 6pm in Côtes-d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine and Manche. Calvados, Orne, Eure and Seine-Maritime follow from the morning, then Yvelines, Val-d'Oise and Nord from noon to 6pm, with Somme and Pas-de-Calais until 8pm.

Gusts of 100 to 120 km/h are forecast inland in Brittany and Manche, and 130 to 140 km/h on the most exposed coasts. Inland Normandy and Hauts-de-France could see 90 to 110 km/h. The alert map could still change.

Which airports and flights could be affected

According to AeroSillage, Brest and the other Breton airports are exposed first, followed during the day by Caen, Deauville, Le Havre, Lille and other northern airports, with Paris-Beauvais and the Paris airports possibly facing rough conditions. The site said there was no reliable tally of storm-related cancellations at French airports on Thursday evening.

Links with the Channel Islands are already hit: Bailiwick Express reported that Guernsey and Alderney airports are closed until noon on Friday, with flights expected to restart in the early afternoon. In the UK, the Met Office brought forward the start of its amber wind warning for Cornwall and Devon to 1am, which may also weigh on flights between France and southern England.

Getting to the airport: trains and bridges disrupted

AeroSillage reports that TER Normandie regional trains are suspended on Friday, with a gradual restart planned on Saturday 24 October in the afternoon, and that the Pont de Normandie is closed from 10am. For Paris-Beauvais, trains between Paris-Nord and Beauvais are suspended from noon. Several RER and Transilien lines around Paris are partly interrupted. Check your flight status before leaving and plan a back-up way to reach the airport.

Your rights if your flight is cancelled or delayed

If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer a refund or rerouting. While you wait, it must provide meals, refreshments and, where needed, a hotel and transfers. Keep boarding passes and receipts.

A storm is usually an extraordinary circumstance, so compensation of 250, 400 or 600 euros is generally not due when the weather is the direct cause. It depends on the facts, case by case: a delay with another cause can still qualify.

Frequently asked questions

Are flights cancelled because of Storm Austen?

No national figure was available on Thursday evening. Flights to Guernsey and Alderney are suspended until Friday noon, and disruption is possible at airports in western and northern France.

Can I get compensation if the storm delays my flight?

Usually not when the weather is the direct cause, but you keep your right to care and to a refund or rerouting. VolClaim checks your eligibility for free.

Sources

  1. Tempête Austen en France, les aéroports face à des vents violents vendredi — AeroSillage (22 octobre 2026)
  2. Tempête Austen ce vendredi : la carte des 15 départements en orange et l'heure où l'alerte prend fin — Selectra, d'après Météo-France (22 octobre 2026)
  3. Storm Austen grounds flights as Guernsey Airport closes — Bailiwick Express (22 octobre 2026)
  4. Storm Boelo named as strong winds forecast for northern UK — Met Office (22 octobre 2026)

News written by the VolClaim editorial team, a service operated by TETRIS GROUP LLC, based on the sources cited. Information may change: always check your flight status with the airline.

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