Munich Airport Drone Sightings forced Germany’s second busiest airport to shut down for the second time in 24 hours with 46 flights cancelled or delayed stranding 6,500 passengers.
Munich Airport has resumed operations after drone sightings forced a second night of flight suspensions. Authorities said 46 departures were cancelled or delayed on Saturday affecting about 6500 passengers.
On Friday night police patrols reported two drones near both runways forcing 23 incoming flights to divert and 12 cancellations that stranded nearly 3000 travellers.
Germany’s interior ministry called the incidents a wake up call and urged stronger airspace security, more funding, and new detection systems. Lawmakers are preparing legal changes that could allow the military to shoot down drones.
The disruptions coincided with German Unity Day and Munich’s Oktoberfest. Similar drone incursions have been reported in Denmark Norway Poland Romania and Estonia, fuelling fears of spillover from Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Flights gradually resumed on Saturday but delays persisted into the afternoon.
