Munich Airport reopened on Friday morning after an overnight shutdown caused by drone sightings, which disrupted travel for thousands of passengers on the eve of Germany’s national holiday.

The unexpected closure forced the cancellation of 17 flights and the diversion of 15 others to cities such as Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Vienna, and Frankfurt.

Nearly 3,000 stranded passengers spent the night at the airport, where camp beds, blankets, and food were provided to ease their hardship.

Operations resumed with the first flight landing from Bangkok around 5:25 am.

Still, the incident has heightened concerns over the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure, especially following similar drone-related disruptions in Denmark and Norway just last week.

European leaders have called for stronger anti-drone measures, stressing the need to protect both passengers and infrastructure.

“Europe must be able to defend itself,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned that such incidents aim to sow “division and anxiety” in society.

The disruption comes during a tense week for Munich, already shaken by a bomb threat at Oktoberfest and the discovery of explosives in a residential area.

Despite the challenges, Friday — marking German Reunification Day — began with renewed efforts to restore normalcy, underlining resilience in the face of disruption and the shared responsibility to ensure safe skies for travellers.