Drone Sightings Force Second Closure of Munich Airport in 24 Hours, Thousands of Passengers Stranded

Both runways at Munich Airport were shut down on Friday evening for the second time in less than 24 hours after drones were reportedly sighted near the airfield, forcing dozens of flight cancellations and diversions and leaving around 6,500 passengers stranded, authorities said.

German air traffic control suspended operations at one of Europe’s busiest airports as a “precautionary measure” following unconfirmed drone sightings, the airport announced. “Flight operations at Munich Airport have been restricted and suspended until further notice,” the statement read.

The disruption extended into early Saturday, when the airport said its scheduled 5 a.m. reopening had been delayed due to continued drone activity. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines before traveling.

By late Friday night, the airport reported that 23 flights had been diverted to other airports, while 12 incoming and 48 outgoing flights were canceled or postponed. “As on the previous night, the airport and airlines took care of the passengers,” it said, adding that camp beds, blankets, food, and drinks were distributed to those stranded overnight.

The latest closure mirrored events from the night before, when unconfirmed drone sightings had also forced a shutdown lasting several hours and disrupted dozens of flights.

Passengers on a London-bound flight Friday evening were told by their captain that the runway had been closed “because of drone sightings near the take-off and landing runways.” Police helicopters were reportedly deployed to investigate the airspace, but no official confirmation of the drone’s source or purpose was made public.

Munich Airport’s arrivals board showed diversions beginning at 8:35 p.m. local time (1835 GMT), with affected flights redirected to nearby hubs including Frankfurt and Vienna.

The twin disruptions mark the latest in a growing number of drone-related incidents that have thrown European air travel into disarray in recent weeks. Authorities in several countries have warned that the unexplained drone activity could be linked to foreign interference, though the Kremlin has denied any involvement in such cases.

Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said earlier on Friday that the government was preparing legislation to grant police greater powers to request military assistance in shooting down drones that threaten aviation safety. “We must ensure the security of airspace and protect passengers from any form of disruption or danger,” he said.

Munich Airport, Germany’s second-largest after Frankfurt, handles more than 47 million passengers annually. The repeated drone sightings have raised concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the urgent need for stronger counter-drone measures.