Chaos at Munich Airport: Drone alarm disrupts flights!

Chaos at Munich Airport: Drone alarm disrupts flights!

Today Munich Airport experienced another chaotic night, triggered by drone sightings that disrupted air traffic. How Focus reported that passengers were met with incomprehension when their flight from Lisbon to Munich was diverted to Vienna due to a drone alarm. Ex-government spokesman Béla Anda was one of those affected, and the flight landed in the Austrian capital shortly before midnight. All hotels were fully booked at this point, which didn't make the situation any better.

The reason for the diversion was a closure of the runways at Munich Airport. At 9:36 p.m. both runways were closed due to the sighting of two drones. These flew away quickly, but the consequences were devastating: 23 incoming flights had to be diverted, 12 flights were canceled and 46 planned takeoffs were cancelled. In total, around 6,500 passengers were affected, many of whom spent the night at the airport.

The passengers in Vienna had the opportunity to disembark, which some did. However, many were desperate because they had connecting flights in Munich. About a third of travelers decided to fly back to Lisbon and then travel to Munich the next day. Loud daily news The luggage could not be brought to its destination as usual and was instead sent to Lisbon to be later brought to Munich.

The dangers of drones

The incidents at Munich Airport are not isolated. In 2025, 144 disruptions caused by drones have already been registered, a significant increase compared to the 113 incidents in the previous year. By August 2025, German Air Traffic Control (DFS) had already recorded 6 sightings in Munich and 35 in Frankfurt. These disruptions are part of a growing problem at German airports, where drones approaching airliners can pose a serious threat.

Experts suspect that unauthorized drone flights are carried out by unscrupulous pilots, but hostile actors could also be behind some sightings. Defense is a difficult undertaking and the responsibility lies not with the airports but with the police. Accordingly, the airport association ADV is calling for a clear legal framework and state-funded technologies to defend against drones in order to ensure safety in the airspace, as [Tagesspiegel](https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/fähr-fur-passagier planes-so-bad-sind-deutsche-flughafen-gegen-drohnen-gesicher-14342345.html) reports.

Political reactions

Political decision-makers are concerned about the developments and are discussing measures to better protect airports. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt plans to deploy the Bundeswehr to support the fight against drones and introduce a new aviation security law. Dobrindt emphasizes the need for close cooperation between the federal and state governments to strengthen drone defense.

Today's episode clearly shows that airspace security remains a sensitive issue. What remains are travelers sitting on their flights with a feeling of uncertainty, wondering when and where the next drone will appear.