Flights at Munich Airport came to a standstill after multiple drone sightings forced airport authorities to suspend runway operations late Friday, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and triggering a wide ripple of cancellations and delays across Europe’s flight network.

Airport operator Munich Airport said it halted traffic for several hours after reports of unmanned aerial vehicles in the vicinity. “We have suspended takeoffs and landings as a precaution to guarantee the safety of passengers and crew,” a spokesman said. The operator reported that roughly 180 flights were canceled or significantly delayed and that ground handling and connecting services were disrupted, affecting thousands of passengers during a busy travel period.

Local police confirmed they received a number of sightings and that officers and specialized teams were deployed to locate the devices. “Multiple witnesses reported small drones near the runways,” a police statement said. “Investigations are ongoing. We are treating any violation of the no‑fly zone near the airport with the utmost seriousness.” German law prohibits recreational drones from operating within a strict perimeter around airports, a policy backed by fines and potential criminal charges.

Airlines quickly scrambled passengers. A Lufthansa representative said the carrier had to cancel several flights to and from Munich and was assisting affected customers with rebooking and accommodations. Low‑cost and regional carriers reported knock‑on delays as crews and aircraft were held up, with some passengers reporting long waits at gates and impromptu hotel stays. Airport staff worked through the night to clear backlogs of baggage and reassign crews as schedules were reshuffled.

The economic cost of such disruptions can be outsized. Beyond immediate customer inconvenience, airlines face crew and aircraft reallocation costs and potential compensation under EU passenger rights rules. Ground handlers and service providers also face lost productivity. Analysts note that while a single day’s disruption is rarely existential for major carriers, repeated or prolonged events compound network inefficiencies and hurt profitability.

The Munich incident echoes previous high‑profile drone interruptions, most notably the 2018 shutdown at London Gatwick that left about 140,000 passengers affected over three days. That episode prompted calls across Europe for investment in detection and mitigation systems. Industry officials and security experts say airports need better radar, radio frequency detection and legal frameworks for responsible countermeasures that do not endanger public safety.

Authorities in Bavaria said they would review surveillance footage and forensic evidence and were consulting national aviation security agencies about possible counter‑drone technology. “This shows once again how vulnerable busy international hubs are to small, off‑the‑shelf devices,” said a security analyst. “Regulators must balance civil liberties with tools—geofencing, electronic detection and safe interdiction—to keep runways clear without escalating risk.”

For passengers, the most immediate relief will be swift communication and efficient rebooking. For policymakers and airport managers, Friday’s disruption is another data point arguing for accelerated investment in preventive systems and clearer legal deterrents. As drone ownership proliferates globally, airports increasingly confront the challenge of integrating a flying technology that can be both a commercial tool and a public‑safety hazard.