By Bradley Shahenza
Munich, Germany — Flights have resumed at Munich Airport after unconfirmed drone sightings forced operations to halt for the second time in as many days, disrupting thousands of travellers.
In a statement issued Friday evening, the airport confirmed that departures and arrivals were suspended at 21:30 local time (20:30 GMT) following reports of drones in nearby airspace. The suspension, which lasted over an hour, affected around 6,500 passengers.
The incident came just a day after a similar disruption on Thursday evening, when at least 17 flights were grounded due to multiple suspected drone sightings. Authorities said they are investigating both episodes, but no drones have been officially confirmed.
Munich Airport, Germany’s second-busiest hub, stressed that passenger safety remains the top priority and that standard aviation security protocols require immediate suspension of flights whenever drones are reported near operational zones.
The back-to-back incidents add to a growing number of drone-related disruptions in Europe’s aviation sector in recent weeks. Airports in London, Dublin, and Madrid have all reported temporary shutdowns linked to drone sightings, highlighting growing concerns over airspace security and the difficulty of regulating drone use near critical infrastructure.
German federal police said they were stepping up monitoring efforts around Munich Airport and warned that flying drones near airports is strictly prohibited, carrying heavy penalties.
While flights have now resumed, the twin suspensions have raised questions about the effectiveness of current counter-drone measures and the preparedness of airports to deal with repeat disruptions.
Source BBC News
