Munich Airport Drone Chaos
Munich Airport Shuts Down After Drone Sightings, Hundreds of Flights Affected Across Europe
MUNICH – Airports across Europe have faced disruptions in recent days due to mysterious drone activity, with Denmark, Norway, and Poland all suspending flights. Romania and Estonia have gone a step further, openly blaming Russia — accusations Moscow has dismissed.
On Thursday night, Munich Airport became the latest to ground flights after several drones were reportedly spotted near its runways. The closure lasted about an hour but caused major ripple effects: more than 30 flights were cancelled or diverted, leaving nearly 3,000 passengers stranded.
Operations gradually resumed early Friday. Flight tracking data showed departures restarting around 5:50 a.m. local time. Lufthansa, Germany’s national carrier, confirmed that 19 of its flights were either cancelled or rerouted during the disruption.
“Flight operations have since resumed according to schedule,” a Lufthansa spokesperson said.
Police said eyewitnesses reported seeing drones at about 7:30 p.m. GMT and again roughly an hour later. Helicopters were deployed to track the devices, but authorities admitted they still have “no information on the type or number of drones involved.”
The airport provided camp beds, blankets, drinks, and snacks for stranded travelers, many of whom were stuck overnight.
The timing of the incident has heightened concerns, coming just ahead of German Unity Day — a national holiday — and the final weekend of Oktoberfest, which draws massive crowds to Munich. Only a day earlier, the festival site had been temporarily closed due to a bomb scare.
German authorities have now launched a full investigation into the drone sightings as Europe grapples with fears of aerial intrusions linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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