We all know that weather is the key reason for flight delays and cancellations. This winter is barely one month old yet snow has stranded flyers on both sides of the Atlantic more than once. As airports face criticism over their preparedness during these times, is there such a thing as simply too much snow?

European airports in December faced closures, delays and cancellations just as they did in April, but this time it wasn't grey ash clouds. It was snow and ice. From Paris to Moscow, airports across Europe faced frozen runways, impassable taxiways and even power outages due to inclement weather. Just before Christmas, London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) was shut down for the better part of a week due to a snowstorm that dumped enough snow to overwhelm man, woman and machine. Falling temperatures froze aircraft in their places and cancelled plans froze passengers inside terminals, leaving flyers with few alternatives for a warm place to stay. BAA, the operator of LHR, faced heavy criticism for not getting snow cleared from runways and taxiways fast enough. The persistently freezing temperatures added to the misery all were feeling just days before a major holiday. Yet barely a week later, airports in the northeastern United States faced similar circumstances and complaints. The largest airports in this region are used to large winter storms and boastfully brush off these events as "just another day at the office." But don't tell that to the stranded flyers at New York City airports who were left wondering: "didn't the airports see this coming?"

The obvious answer is most likely yes. Airports surely did see this coming. An impending storm in certainly predictable enough to get ready for, but its intensity can surprise. That's just what operators at many of the affected airports claimed after facing heavy criticism for not clearing away snow and ice fast enough. In New York, some international passengers sat on the tarmac waiting over 12 hours for an open gate! JFK Airport cites lack of communication from carriers regarding the availability of gate space prior to departure.

Though tarmac delay rules in the U.S. limiting such waits to no more than 3 hours apply to domestic flights, international flights are not bound by this mandate. Still, having worked to help passengers facing long delays, IAPA has a few questions for the airport:

• Was there proper staffing of U.S. Customs agents to handle the arrival?
• What was the difficulty with getting food and water to the aircraft?
• Is the request by an airline to secure gate space at the destination prior to departure a normal practice or simply a courtesy?
• What are the airport's contingency plans for lengthy tarmac delays?
• What kept busses from being used to get passenger to a secure arrival hall or other location?

Whether a contingency plan for tarmac delays is in place or not, coordination between airline, airport and service providers is paramount. Yes, snow can be overwhelming and travel disruptions can be chaotic. But this happens every year and each time it does happen, it would be great to hear better stories about preparedness, efficiency and the best possible customer care under the circumstances.