Munich airport resumes flights but issues warning to passengers

A Lufthansa aircraft is parked at the snow-covered Munich airport, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. - Copyright Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP

By Ruth Wright

Published on 04/12/2023 - 11:03•Updated 08/12/2023 - 12:02

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Heavy snowfall and sleet caused days of disruption at Germany's second busiest airport.

Flights have resumed at Munich airport but passengers have been told to check their plane will be leaving before travelling to the airport.

Germany's second busiest hub has been hit by days of heavy snowfall and freezing rain, leading to disruption for thousands of passengers.

Of the 771 flights scheduled last Tuesday, more than 80 per cent were cancelled and almost all of the rest were delayed, according to Flightradar24.

What is the advice for passengers at Munich airport?

Although most flights are now going ahead, Munich airport has issued a warning to passengers: if you haven't had confirmation that your flight is going, don't come to the airport.

They also ask that passengers do not come to the airport to rebook flights - this should be done via airlines' apps, websites or phone lines.

Munich disruption affects 1,000s of European travellers

Approximately 1,500 passengers were stranded after flights were suspended at Munich airport on Saturday.

When asked by German media, Munich airport confirmed that passengers spent the night in the terminals, "including some more than once".

Camp beds were reportedly being made available for travellers, along with drinks and food. Passengers also had the option of booking a hotel room themselves and the costs would be reimbursed.

"Nevertheless, several hundred passengers are staying overnight in the terminal," a Lufthansa spokesperson said in a statement. "Either because they don't have a visa to enter the country or because they are not taking up the offer to book a hotel room."

Many passengers have taken to social media to complain about the service they have received from airlines, with some saying they have had multiple flights cancelled. The airport responded to one user that this is the "first time ever" for snow.

There was a similar situation at Munich airport in December last year, when 133 flights were cancelled due to a frozen runway.

Why does Munich airport close when it snows?

Munich airport first shut down on Saturday after heavy snowfall. Disruption continued on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Some passengers have taken to social media to question why Munich airport is not able to handle freezing rain and snow like other airports.

One user suggested that they should "talk to the airport in Helsinki" as "they can clean a runway full of snow in 11 minutes."

Munich airport has said that the problem is "wet snow" because temperatures are only around freezing point rather than colder weather which makes the snow firmer.

Lufthansa: Disruption expected to last all week

Lufthansa, one of the main airlines that uses the airport, have said they expect disruption to continue throughout the week.

They have advised passengers to "check the status of their flight on Lufthansa.com or in the Lufthansa app before traveling to the airport.

Customers with booked tickets to or from Munich can cancel or change their ticket free of charge. This applies to tickets with a travel date up to 9 December.