Chaos at Munich Airport: Drone Sightings Ground Flights

Fri Oct 10 2025 22:23:45 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Munich Airport faced significant disruptions as drone sightings led to the cancellation of multiple flights, affecting thousands of passengers during peak travel season.

Munich Airport experienced major disruptions due to drone sightings, resulting in the cancellation of over a dozen flights and the diversion of many others. Nearly 3,000 passengers were affected, with emergency measures including the provision of camp beds and amenities amid the ongoing Oktoberfest celebrations.

Germany's Munich airport has cancelled more than a dozen flights after drones were seen close to its airspace.

At least 17 flights were grounded in Munich, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers. The airport also diverted an additional 15 flights to nearby cities.

There was no immediate confirmation of where the drones had come from. Several airports across Europe have closed down recently due to unidentified drones.

Munich airport alerted authorities after the drones were detected, with flights out of the airport being temporarily suspended. Air traffic control redirected flights that were due to land in Munich to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.

With darkness falling, details about the drones' characteristics, sizes, or origins were not confirmed, according to Federal Police spokesperson Stefan Bayer. The drones were first spotted at 21:30 local time (19:30 GMT) and again an hour later.

Notably, recent drone sightings throughout the European Union led to a leaders' summit in Copenhagen this week, coinciding with the rising tensions over drone incursions from Russia.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at Munich airport overnight, leading to camp beds being set up and provisions of blankets, drinks, and snacks. This disruption occurred amid the bustling Oktoberfest festival, which is drawing millions of visitors annually.