Drone nightmare in Munich: airport paralyzed, Söder calls for shooting down!

Drone nightmare in Munich: airport paralyzed, Söder calls for shooting down!

A disturbing chapter in the history of air transport took place at Munich Airport on October 3, 2025. As a result of drone sightings, Franz Josef Strauss Airport was temporarily closed, which had a significant impact on air traffic. As fr.de reports, 17 flights had to be canceled and around 3,000 passengers got into trouble. Some found themselves on cots in the terminals overnight, while others were accommodated in hotels.

The sightings led to police investigating the area with a helicopter, although the culprit remained a mystery. Despite intensive searches, the federal police were unable to identify anyone responsible. It is also unclear what type of drone was involved and whether there were several flying objects, according to the reports.

Political reactions and demands

Markus Söder, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, spoke out after the incident and called for drones to be shot down immediately over critical infrastructure. With a clear commitment to security, he spoke out in favor of building an “Iron Dome” for Germany, primarily to protect infrastructure and military facilities. As welt.de noted, Bavaria is planning an expedited law that will be discussed in the Council of Ministers. In addition, Söder is calling for an adjustment to the Aviation Safety Act at the federal level.

“There is something going on,” say many in the population and also in politics. Jens Spahn, Union parliamentary group leader, agreed with the same tenor and called for the immediate establishment of an effective drone defense in order to be able to respond to the increased threat posed by drones. A technological ecosystem for rapid response must urgently be created, Spahn continued.

Overarching security concerns

The incidents in Munich are part of a worrying trend. As zdf.de reports, unknown drones have been booming over German cities, power plants and even Bundeswehr locations in recent months. Security expert Ulrike Franke warns that Germany is not sufficiently prepared for these threats. The police and Bundeswehr have insufficient resources to detect and defend against drones, which makes the security situation even more precarious.

The repeated sightings in border areas with Poland and the Baltics, where NATO countries such as Estonia and Romania reported Russian drones or military machines, are particularly alarming. These observations are reopening the debate about the need for greater armament in German airspace, and EU politicians have called for faster action at a summit in Copenhagen.

The number of drone incidents at airports clearly shows that the problem cannot be ignored. By the end of August 2025, German air traffic control recorded 144 disruptions, compared to 113 in the previous year. This shows a clear trend that significantly endangers the safety of our aviation.

The recent events at Munich Airport are an alarming signal: it is high time for Germany to take measures to arm itself against this potential threat and to create the necessary protective mechanisms.