Bitter disappointment: Flight to Tromsø ends in Düsseldorf after 8 hours!

Bitter disappointment: Flight to Tromsø ends in Düsseldorf after 8 hours!

A recent incident in Eurowings shows the challenges with which passengers are confronted when weather conditions make a safe landing impossible. On March 16, 2025, passengers started a flight from Düsseldorf to Tromsø, Norway, which ended in unusual circumstances.

Tromsø is known for its breathtaking northern lights, whales and sled trips and is flown by Eurowings three times a week. On Saturday, the day of the incident, flight EW9250 started at 2:50 p.m. from Düsseldorf. The Airbus A320 was at a flight altitude of 35,000 feet (approx. 11 km) when Tromsø Airport refused landing due to strong winds of 48 knots (approx. 88 km/h). This wind speed exceeds the permissible limit for the aircraft.

diversions and return to Düsseldorf

After a first failed landing test, the pilots decided to avoid Rovaniemi in Finland, where they landed safely and stayed on the ground for an hour. A second attempt to land in Tromsø also failed due to winds of 41 knots (approx. 75 km/h). Ultimately, the machine returned to Düsseldorf and landed there at 10:35 p.m. Passengers who needed an overnight stay were housed in hotels from Eurowings while others were driving home.

The following Sunday, 7:39 a.m., the Airbus A320 started again from Düsseldorf with 101 passengers on board and was finally able to land safely in Tromsø at 10:59 a.m. This incident not only illustrates the imponderables of travel, but also the need to react flexibly to extreme weather conditions. This Saturday a total of 13 landings were deleted to Tromsø for strong winds.

contextualization of the challenges in Eurowings

The challenges at Eurowings are not only limited to weather conditions. As early as October 6, 2022, the airline was affected by a comprehensive strike. This lasted 24 hours and led to an annulled flood of flights, especially at Düsseldorf Airport. There were estimated flight cancellations of about half of all flights. The union association Cockpit had proclaimed the strike to request better working conditions and to request reforms in the collective agreement.

A total of 178 Eurowings flights in Düsseldorf were affected on the strike day. The airline was forced to inform passengers about the cancellations and offered free rebookings or cancellations. The HR manager of Eurowings expressed concerns about the union's demands in view of the economic situation.

It remains important for travelers to further find out more about the current conditions. Current information and developments on flight cancellations and strikes can be called up on Check24 .

The incident with flight EW9250 is an example of the imponderables in air traffic and shows how external influences can have significant effects on both travel planning and the travel experience.