Munich, October 4: Munich Airport will begin gradually resuming operations from 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Saturday after drone sightings forced Germany’s second-busiest hub to suspend early flights, divert dozens of aircraft and leave thousands of passengers stranded.
The airport operator said 23 flights had been diverted, 12 inbound services cancelled and 48 departures either cancelled or postponed after both runways were shut down on Friday evening, the second closure in less than 24 hours.
“German air traffic control restricted flight operations at Munich Airport as a precautionary measure due to unconfirmed drone sightings and suspended them until further notice,” the airport said in a statement.
The disruption affected some 6,500 travellers. Camp beds, blankets, snacks and drinks were provided to passengers who were forced to stay overnight in terminals. Flights due to land were diverted starting at 8:35 p.m. local time (1835 GMT) on Friday after pilots reported drones near take-off and landing runways. Police helicopters were deployed but did not confirm the sightings.
The airport had initially planned to reopen at 5 a.m. on Saturday, but the restart was delayed by two hours. Officials warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations throughout the day and to check with airlines for updates. Munich Airport was also closed for several hours late on Thursday and early Friday morning following similar reports of drones.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Friday he would accelerate legislation to make it easier for police to call on the military to shoot down drones threatening critical infrastructure. European aviation has seen repeated drone-related disruptions in recent weeks, with some authorities suggesting Russian involvement, a claim Moscow has denied.
