FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - No more aircraft take-offs have been possible at Frankfurt Airport since Wednesday afternoon. Aircraft could no longer be safely de-iced before take-off due to the persistent freezing rain, said a spokesman for the airport operator Fraport. Aircraft were still landing, however, so that the parking positions were slowly filling up. It is therefore planned not to allow any more landings from 3 p.m. onwards. A Fraport spokeswoman said that further action would be decided depending on the weather conditions.

The aim of de-icing is to keep the wings and fuselage free of ice and snow residue. "The aerodynamic profile must not be impaired," explained the spokesperson. On the way to take-off, there was a risk of the aircraft icing up again in the rain.

Meanwhile, according to a spokeswoman, the terminals were initially quiet and it was necessary to see how many passengers had to be rebooked. Cots had already been set up the day before in case passengers were stranded, and snacks and drinks were also available. The interruption to operations will also lead to delays and flight cancellations at Frankfurt Airport this Thursday.

The German Weather Service in Offenbach had issued the highest severe weather warning level for parts of Hesse and other regions of Germany on Wednesday due to the extreme risk of black ice.

Originally, 1047 flights were planned for the course of the day at Germany's largest airport, but more than half of the take-offs and landings had already been canceled due to the winter weather. Fraport had advised passengers to check their flights with the airlines in advance and not to come to the airport if flights were canceled./csc/DP/tih