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Germany resumes flights at Munich airport after drone alerts
Munich Airport gradually resumed operations on Saturday following its closure for a second consecutive night due to drone alerts, which Berlin described as a serious security threat. The incident marks the latest in a series of similar disruptions across Europe, with several countries suspecting Russian involvement in overflights of sensitive sites.
The airport had preemptively suspended flights from 9:30 p.m. Friday after unconfirmed drone sightings. Police reported that two drones were simultaneously detected near the north and south runways shortly before 11 p.m. The airport expects delays throughout the day as operations return to normal.
The closures affected dozens of flights: 23 inbound flights were diverted, 12 canceled, and 46 departures delayed or canceled, impacting roughly 6,500 passengers. Emergency accommodations and provisions were provided for stranded travelers.
Munich Airport is the largest European hub to halt operations due to drones, following similar incidents in Copenhagen and Oslo. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the drones a “threat” and urged that authorities be allowed to shoot them down, a change the government plans to address in upcoming aviation security law revisions.
Other European airports in Denmark, Norway, Poland, and Romania have recently suspended flights over unidentified drones. While the origin of the drones remains unconfirmed, some nations have pointed to Russia, which denies involvement. These events have highlighted gaps in NATO’s defenses against emerging drone threats.