Air traffic at Munich’s Franz Josef Strauß Airport was temporarily disrupted on Saturday evening after several witnesses reported seeing unidentified aerial movements over the airport grounds. The reports came just two weeks after similar incidents forced a major shutdown earlier this month.
According to the Federal Police in Bavaria, it remains unclear whether the latest sightings involved drones or another type of object. “There were indications of suspicious movements, but no confirmed identification,” a police spokesperson explained.
Airport authorities confirmed that air-traffic control halted both the northern and southern runways for safety reasons shortly after 10:30 p.m. “Operations were suspended for approximately 30 minutes,” a spokesperson said. During the pause, multiple incoming flights were forced to hold or divert to alternative airports.
Two runway closures within one evening
A second short suspension followed around 11 p.m., according to official airport data. Two flights scheduled to land in Munich were rerouted to other German airports, though regular operations resumed soon after midnight. By Sunday morning, departures and arrivals were running as normal.
A repeat of early-October chaos
The new reports have revived memories of early October, when several confirmed drone sightings led to severe disruption across southern Germany’s busiest airport. Over a two-day period, dozens of flights were canceled or redirected, leaving thousands of passengers stranded overnight. Emergency shelters were set up in the terminals, and travelers were provided with blankets and food supplies.
Federal Police had deployed a helicopter during the October incident to scour the perimeter and nearby open areas, but no drones or suspects were ever located. Officials later confirmed that “neither a drone nor any suspicious individual was found.”
Ongoing investigation and heightened awareness
Authorities have launched another investigation into the latest case, emphasizing that any unauthorized drone activity near airports constitutes a serious aviation offense under German air-safety law. Even a brief runway shutdown can cause cascading delays across Europe’s tightly connected air-traffic network.
The airport operator reiterated its call for the public to report any suspicious flying objects immediately to the police. Drone operations are strictly prohibited within a several-kilometer radius around airports.
For now, Munich Airport is functioning normally again — but with growing vigilance in the skies above Bavaria.
