Munich Airport reopens after drone sightings disrupt thousands of passengers

Munich International Airport resumed operations as on Thursday night after multiple drone sightings forced a temporary closure and disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers.Reuters said, airport operations resumed early on Friday morning with a flight from Bangkok being the first of the day to land at around 5:25 a.m.

The airport on Thursday said that a total of 17 flights were grounded shortly after 10 pm (local time) affecting nearly 3,000 passengers. In addition, 15 arriving flights were diverted to the German cities of Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Frankfurt, as well as Vienna in neighbouring Austria, the statement said. Operations were halted as a safety measure after drones were spotted in the vicinity of the runways, prompting immediate suspension of takeoffs and landings.

The closure lasted for several hours, leading to delays and diversions. Some inbound flights were redirected to nearby airports, while departing passengers faced long waiting times.

Police and aviation officials launched an investigation into the drone incursions, which have increasingly become a security concern for European airports. Authorities have not yet disclosed who was responsible or whether the sightings were linked to coordinated activity.

By late evening, the airport announced it had reopened after confirming the airspace was safe. “Flight operations are back to normal, but passengers should expect residual delays as schedules are adjusted,” Munich Airport said in a statement.

This is not the first time drone activity has disrupted German air travel. Similar incidents have been reported in Frankfurt and Berlin in recent years, raising concerns about aviation security and the need for stricter drone regulations.

Poland and Denmark have also reported recent drone sightings, with Denmark calling it "the most serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure to date," forcing temporary closures of Copenhagen and other airports. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin addressing a summit in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Thursday dismissed suggestions he ordered drones to Denmark. "I won't do it again. I won't do it again - not to France or Denmark or Copenhagen", In the wake of these drone sightings, NATO is strengthening its Baltic Sea mission, and Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt suggested revising air safety laws to allow armed forces to shoot down drones if necessary.