Munich Airport Temporarily Shut Down After Drone Sighting

Munich Airport was forced to suspend all operations on Saturday after a drone was spotted in the restricted airspace, triggering immediate safety measures and widespread flight disruptions.

Pilots of two aircraft reported seeing the drone near the runways around 9 a.m. local time. Authorities quickly closed both runways and deployed police helicopters to search the area. Several planes were left circling overhead while others were diverted to alternative airports including Nuremberg and Frankfurt. Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed as a result.

No drone was found during the search, and the airport resumed operations roughly one hour later. However, knock-on delays continued to affect passenger schedules throughout the day.

This is the latest in a series of similar drone incidents at Munich Airport, including a major disruption in October 2025 that stranded thousands of travelers. Investigations into today’s sighting are ongoing, with no confirmed security threat reported so far.