Is Europe’s Airspace Safe? Drone Activity in Munich Impacts 3,000 Passengers

On the evening of October 2, 2025, Munich Airport in Germany temporarily shut down its airspace and suspended all flight operations due to multiple drone sightings near the facility.

The closure lasted overnight into October 3, resulting in the cancellation of at least 17 departing flights, which affected nearly 3,000 passengers. Another 15 incoming flights were diverted to airports in Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.

The drone sightings were first reported around 9:30 PM local time and repeated about an hour later. In response, German air traffic control restricted and then suspended all flight operations beginning at 10:18 PM.

The airport implemented its contingency plans, offering stranded passengers camp beds, blankets, refreshments, and snacks within the terminals.

Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier, confirmed that 19 of its flights were either canceled or rerouted due to this suspension.

By the early morning of October 3, normal flight operations resumed at Munich Airport, with Lufthansa confirming flights were running on schedule.

The first flight landed at 5:25 AM, and the first departure followed shortly after.

This incident adds to a growing pattern of drone-related disruptions across Europe, with recent airport closures in Oslo and Copenhagen raising security concerns and suspicions of Russian involvement.

Notably, an officially confirmed sighting of Russian drones occurred on the night of September 9-10, 2025, when 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace, temporarily shutting down several Polish airports, including Warsaw International and Lublin.

Photo by David Syphers on Unsplash