Source: Robin Radar (Representative Image)
Munich Airport has resumed operations following an overnight closure caused by drone sightings that grounded or diverted dozens of flights. As the airport reopened early Friday morning, a Reuters witness confirmed that passengers were checking in, and the main departure board showed only a few remaining cancellations. The first arrival was a flight from Bangkok, which landed around 5:25 a.m. local time.
Earlier Munich Airport in southern Germany was forced to temporarily halt operations late on Thursday evening, October 2, 2025, following multiple drone sightings. The disruption, which occurred after German air traffic control suspended operations at 10:18 p.m. local time, led to the cancellation of 17 flights, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers, and the diversion of 15 incoming flights to other cities. The incident marks the latest in a series of drone-related closures at major European aviation hubs.
In addition to the grounded departures, 15 inbound flights were redirected to other German cities, including Stuttgart, Nuremberg, and Frankfurt, as well as Vienna in Austria. Airport officials assured passengers that operations were under control and that the airport was scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. local time.
Munich Airport, a key hub for Lufthansa, Germany’s national airline, handled nearly 20 million passengers in the first half of 2025. This incident adds Munich to the growing list of European airports disrupted by drone sightings in recent weeks.
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Europe has seen a series of drone-related disruptions recently. Last week, multiple Danish airports were affected by drone sightings, causing delays for tens of thousands of passengers. In response, Denmark temporarily banned all civil drone flights as it prepared to host a summit of European leaders focusing on support for Ukraine and strengthening European security.
The heightened alert follows alleged incursions by Russian drones into NATO airspace over Poland and Romania, as well as reports of Russian fighter jets violating Estonian airspace.
The city of Munich, home to over one million people, had already experienced tension earlier this week when its world-famous Oktoberfest beer festival was temporarily closed due to a bomb threat. The recent airport closure adds to the city’s atmosphere of caution and vigilance.
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