‘I’m stuck in Lapland’s coldest snap in 10 years
A MAN has shared the reality of holidaying in Lapland’s coldest snap in a decade – including cancelled activities and how even his eyelashes are froze.
Lapland in Finland is currently experiencing one of the coldest snaps in a decade with temperatures plunging to as low as -40C.
Even for a region known for its snow, the current weather is significantly below the average causing hundreds of flights to be cancelled.
Caleb Chaplin, 28, told Sun Travel he feared he wouldn’t even make it to the winter wonderland as Amsterdam Airport (where he was getting a connecting flight) was closed until the night before he was due to fly.
However, the airport reopened on the Wednesday night, allowing the Australian – who has lived in London for three years -and his friend to reach Finland.
He said: “It was fine for us but I knew a lot of other people that couldn’t actually get into Lapland itself.”
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Lapland is usually associated with kids and Christmas, but the destination has a lot for adults too and isn’t just about the festive period.
He said: “We had a few adventures booked for like snowmobiling and stuff like that.
“They all got cancelled due to temperatures being too cold.”
In addition to snowmobiling, the duo were meant to head off husky sledging and see reindeer – but the bone-chilling temperatures were even too harsh for them.
Though, each time something was cancelled, the pair received a refund either immediately or within 24 hours.
Caleb added: “We then tried to book three different snowmobile tours, with the third finally getting accepted.
“Eventually we got to snowmobiling on a Friday, which we had to have like three different pairs of socks, three gloves, three different layers for.
“It was so cold, we even got frost on our fingers – my thumbs felt like they were going to come off.
“It felt like they had frostbite underneath my two pairs of gloves and the gloves that they give you.
“In fact, they gave us overalls and an extra pair of gloves and it was still cold.
“I had heat warmers in my gloves and heat warmers in my shoes – it was an unreal experience.
“But being -35C for a long period of time, they’re not used to these temperatures at the moment.”
Average temperatures for Lapland during January sit around -14C and if they reach -30C it is usually only for a couple of days, however the even chillier drop has been going on for around 10 to 12 days.
On New Year’s Day, temps sat around -38.4C and by January 5, a new low was recorded in Eastern Lapland of -39.9C.
On January 9, the cold worsened, hitting -42.8C in Savukoski – the coldest temperature of Lapland’s winter so far.
Caleb even joked that when he spoke to his parents, who live in Sydney, they were experiencing 39C, while he was experiencing -39C.
He continued: “Most of the instructors had frost on their noses.
“So they were wearing heat warmer gloves and had them under their balaclavas too.”
The 28-year-old did share though how staff were doing all that they could to help people, including giving them additional clothing, to ensure they still had a good Lapland experience.
The bar manager has been documenting his trip on his Instagram account, @calebchapin, where he has even ventured out for runs in the snow.
He revealed: “Two minutes after running your face is pretty much covered with frost or snow – my face, eyes, eyelashes were all frozen.”
The snow hasn’t ruined Caleb’s holiday though – he has managed to see the Northern Lights most days and added that “it’s just been a once in a lifetime opportunity”.
“The scenery of everything is like a white Christmas, it’s incomprehensible to look at,” he added.
Over the weekend, flights in and out of Kittila were cancelled, with one flight out of Rovaniemi also cancelled on Sunday.
Caleb also mentioned how there are no car rentals available and that Rovaniemi Airport was packed when they landed.
Flight compensation rules
A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
Stormy weather across the UK also caused lots of flights to be cancelled last week after Storm Goretti closed airports.
Plus, why bad weather could make your flight faster – and land up to an hour earlier than planned.