Due to heavy snowfall, six aircraft were held on the runway at Munich Airport, leaving approximately 600 passengers waiting on board for hours. A shortage of buses and personnel escalated the crisis.
At Munich Airport, Germany’s second-largest airport, six aircraft were held on the runway overnight due to intense snowfall. Around 600 passengers were forced to remain on board until morning as no buses or drivers were available to transfer them to the terminal.
Air Traffic Suspended Around Midnight
Due to heavy snowfall, air traffic at the airport was temporarily suspended around midnight. Approximately 100 flights were cancelled throughout Thursday, with the situation reaching critical levels particularly during the evening and night hours.
The airport, which normally has a night flight ban between midnight and 05:00, received special permission to continue operations until 01:00 due to adverse weather conditions. Within this framework, six flights, including aircraft belonging to Lufthansa and Air Arabia, were included in the planning.
However, de-icing operations took longer than expected due to heavy and wet snowfall. Runways were temporarily closed, and the aircraft were unable to depart within the planned additional time window.
“No Buses or Drivers” Statement
The most debated issue during the crisis was why passengers were not transported back to the terminal. Airport management stated that parking positions at the terminals were completely full and that the aircraft could not return to the gates.
Regarding the option of bus transfers, it was stated that “Due to the late hour and communication issues, bus services were significantly limited.” In other words, it became clear that there were not enough buses or drivers available.
Passengers were forced to remain on board the aircraft until the early morning hours.
Apology and Compensation Statement from Lufthansa
Lufthansa described the situation as “unacceptable” and apologised. The company announced that affected passengers had been contacted and that appropriate compensation payments would be made.
According to the statement, flight crews provided food and beverages to passengers throughout the night and gave regular updates. An airport spokesperson emphasised that there was never any safety risk to passengers.
Strong Reaction from Union and Politics
The pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit stated that there were serious weaknesses in crisis management and demanded action from management. The union also argued that flight crews did not receive sufficient support.
The incident also moved onto the political agenda. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Bavaria Party group submitted a parliamentary inquiry addressed to Dieter Reiter (SPD), Mayor of Munich. They questioned whether the municipal administration has a binding emergency and winter operations plan for weather-related crises.
Award-Winning Airport Faces Social Media Backlash
Ranked among the top 10 in last year’s Skytrax World Airport Awards and selected as “Airport of the Year” by Aviation Week, Munich Airport faced intense criticism on social media following the crisis.
Users highlighted ongoing issues particularly related to baggage handling, check-in and insufficient ground staff. Opposition parties argued that the incident damaged Munich’s trade and tourism image.
Crisis Management Debate Deepens
Airport management announced that the incident is being examined in all its aspects and that improvement efforts are being carried out with partners to prevent similar situations from recurring.
However, the fact that approximately 600 passengers were forced to remain on board for hours has sparked debate over the adequacy of crisis planning at one of Germany’s most prestigious airports.
https://www.airportgundem.com/munih-havalimaninda-pist-krizi-6-ucak-gece-boyunca-bekledi/
