Munich Airport has stopped operations due to second night in a row following several drone sightings in the runway area. The preventive measure forced takeoffs and arrivals to be halted overnight, in an incident that once again raises alarms about air safety.
Hours later, the airport manager confirmed that the activity gradually resumes and recommended that travelers check the status of their flight with their airlines before traveling. Unmanned aircraft They walked away without being identified, according to police sources.
Nighttime closure and staggered reopening
The Police detected drones over the north and south runways around 23:00 p.m., prompting the tower to temporarily suspend traffic for safety reasons. The aircraft left the area before they could be located, according to an airport spokesperson.
The closure was caused by second day in a row, after operations were already restricted the day before due to a sighting near a Bundeswehr facility. Since early morning, the airport's capacity has been reduced. is expanding as rotations are reorganized and delays are cleared.
Impact on flights and passengers
The interruption left 46 departures without taking off, forced to divert 23 incoming flights and meant the cancellation of 12 flights to Munich, with around 6.500 travelers affected.
Some of the aircraft were redirected to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna and Frankfurt, according to authorities. The companies asked customers to review their reservations and follow notifications to avoid unnecessary trips to the airport.
During the night, the operator and the airlines enabled camp beds, blankets and drinks to serve nearly 3.000 people who had to wait in terminals while operations were reorganized.
Wave of sightings and response in Germany and Europe
German air traffic control has recorded a significant increase in incidents this year: between January and August, 144 drone interruptions at the country's airports, compared to 113 in the same period last year y 99 in 2023 setups.
So far this year, there have been documented six sightings in Munich and to 35 in Frankfurt, the country's main hub. Incursions into critical infrastructure in Schleswig-Holstein, in the north, are also being investigated.
The trend is not limited to Germany: recent episodes forced closures and diversions in Copenhagen and Oslo, and in the European Union the debate on a possible wall of drones and new detection and neutralization capabilities.
Open research and new measures under study
For the time being It is unknown who operates the devices nor for what purpose. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder framed what happened in Munich within a pattern that is repeated in Europe and stressed that This is not an isolated event.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced that he will submit a draft air safety law with improvements to protect airports and critical infrastructure. In his opinion, the authorities are facing a race between threat and anti-drone defense, and are studying strengthening collaboration with the armed forces.
Among the options on the table are early detection systems, coordinated response protocols and capabilities to interfere with or neutralize drones When invading restricted areas, always under legal supervision.
With traffic gradually returning to normal and the investigation underway, the episode leaves one observation: the presence of drones near airports requires the adoption of strong and coordinated measures to minimize risks and prevent nights like these from happening again.