Repeated drone sightings over Munich Airport (Germany)

On the night of 02 to 03 October 2025, repeated drone sightings forced the suspension of operations at Munich Airport, Germany's second-busiest hub. According to Munich Airport, the first reports came at around 8:30 p.m. on 02 October, followed by sightings near the airport fence and then over the airfield. German air traffic control (DFS) began restricting traffic from 10:18 p.m. and then closed the runways, with sightings ending around midnight. The airport reported 17 flight cancellations and 15 diversions, with inbound aircraft sent to Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Frankfurt and Vienna. CNN reported that nearly 3,000 passengers were affected. Operations resumed at 5 a.m. on 03 October.

The disruption recurred on consecutive nights. Munich Airport said traffic was restricted from around 9:30 p.m. on 03 October and then cancelled after fresh drone sightings, with further sightings early on 04 October delaying the resumption of operations. PBS News reported that around 6,500 passengers were affected across the repeated shutdowns, with dozens of flights cancelled, delayed or diverted. Lufthansa provided stranded travellers with food, drinks and blankets.

Authorities did not identify who was flying the drones. PBS News reported that police observed simultaneous sightings near the north and south runways but that the drones departed before they could be secured, and that officials could not immediately say who was responsible. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the events as a wake-up call and pointed to plans to expand counter-drone capabilities.

The repeated, multi-night sightings that closed a major hub on consecutive evenings point to deliberate activity rather than coincidence, but no operator was identified and no perpetrator has been confirmed. The episode fits a broader wave of European airport drone incidents in late 2025 in which hybrid-warfare involvement has been widely suspected but not proven. Russia denied any role. On the available evidence the attribution remains unknown, and any link to state-directed sabotage is a suspicion, not an established fact. The disruption to thousands of passengers and a critical transport node is well documented.