HELSINKI —Thousands of tourists were stranded in northern Finland as a severe cold spell has grounded flights out of one of its airports.

Departures from Lapland's Kittila airport that would have ferried winter travellers back to places like London, Bristol, Manchester, Paris and Amsterdam were all canceled on Sunday as temperatures did not go above -35°C, making it impossible to service aircraft.

The issue is expected to continue on Monday as a low of -39°C is forecast by Finland's meteorological agency.

The extreme cold makes it hard to de-ice planes, while maintenance and refuelling equipment on the ground can freeze.

Airport operator Finavia told public broadcaster Yle that moisture in the air was making the situation worse as it was creating slippery frost.

While Lapland, which spans northern Norway, Sweden and Finland, is known for the cold and snow, Finnish Lapland usually has a winter average temperature of -14°C, with occasional dips to -30°C, according to the nation's tourism board.

Kittila airport predominantly serves people wishing to travel to nearby ski resorts and to see the Northern Lights, while Rovaniemi airport further south is the "official" destination for visitors to Santa Claus's folkloric home.

Flights were reportedly cancelled in and out of Kittila on Friday and Saturday as well.

The cold weather has also made the roads particularly hazardous, with Fintraffic warning of icy conditions in the region.

A bus full of Ukrainian passengers drove into a ditch on Sunday morning, Yle reported, citing local police. It said no serious injuries were reported.

The unusual cold in Lapland comes as a storm passing over northern Europe has brought wintry conditions and travel disruption to the UK, France and Germany. — Agencies