Chaos at Munich Airport: Thousands of passengers stranded by drones!

Chaos at Munich Airport: Thousands of passengers stranded by drones!

Things are going haywire at Munich Airport at the moment. On October 4, 2025, flight operations were suspended twice, and that caused a lot of chaos. The reason for this was sightings of drones, which severely affected air traffic. Loud daily news These disruptions occurred on Thursday evening and Friday night. On Friday night, 32 flights had to be diverted or canceled, which put around 3,000 passengers in trouble. The situation finally escalated on Friday evening when two drones were spotted again in the area of ​​the runways shortly before 11 p.m.

As a precautionary measure, the decision was made at 9:30 p.m. to suspend all take-offs and landings. As the BR reported that 81 flights had to be canceled or rerouted by the end of the day, including to major cities such as Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Vienna. The result was even overnight stays for many travelers; around 6,500 people were directly affected by the disruptions. Cots, blankets, drinks and snacks provided comfort while travelers waited for the next development.

Gradual normalization of flight operations

When night falls over Munich Airport, there are normally no flights, but operations gradually resumed from 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. Planes were finally able to take off, but travelers still had to expect delays. Those responsible didn't find these chaotic circumstances particularly funny, and the security authorities were also alarmed.

The Bundeswehr was called in to help monitor the airspace around the airport after the Bavarian Interior Ministry requested administrative assistance. The Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, also plans to involve the Bundeswehr more closely in drone defense in the long term. Already in 2025, according to the Association office Over 140 drone sightings have been registered at German airports, which is putting air traffic safety under pressure.

Drone sightings are an increasing problem

A problem that cannot be solved so easily. Security authorities and experts point out that responsibility for drone detection and defense lies primarily with the federal and state police. Airport associations are also calling for legal regulations to increase security. Employees in the industry must be prepared for the current state of technology. Investments in modern drone defense technology are urgently needed because current systems are often not sufficient.

The question of who is behind the drones and whether there was really a danger to flight operations remains unclear. Free riders or even targeted disruptions could be possible. The public discussion about security at airports is now getting louder and those responsible are called upon to bring clarity to this confusing situation.

While the authorities are working on a solution, the passengers are probably fed up for now. As I said, there is a lot going on at Munich Airport at the moment, and looking up into the air is more important than ever before.