Climate activists on runways temporarily paralyze Munich Airport
“The airport is closed because climate activists stuck themselves to the runways”
Climate protection activists have shut down Munich Airport. The activists got into the inner area of the airport premises. “The airport is closed for security reasons because climate activists have stuck themselves on the runways,” said an airport spokesman.
Climate protection activists have once again invaded the grounds of an airport. At the start of the holidays, Munich Airport had to cancel all flights. Several people were stuck on the tarmac. The runway is now back in operation.
ZAt the start of the Whitsun holidays in several federal states, climate protection activists once again disrupted flight operations at Munich Airport. They entered the airport premises early on Saturday morning and clung to taxiways next to the runways. According to spokespersons for the airport and the federal police, the airport was initially completely closed for security reasons. After about two hours, one of the two runways was able to go into operation, followed by the second runway about an hour later.
The airport spokesman said that it could take a while until traffic returns to normal on Saturday. “We have planned a total of almost 1,000 take-offs and landings.” Due to the tight timing of flights, there are still some delays in such cases. Passengers who had booked a flight for Saturday should definitely contact their airline.
The airport association ADV has sharply criticized the blockade. “Intrusion into the aviation security area is not a trivial offense. “Over a hundred thousand passengers are being prevented from starting their Whitsun holidays in a relaxed and punctual manner,” said ADV managing director Ralph Beisel. The association supports the call for tougher criminal consequences. “These unsatisfactory criminal liability gaps in the sentencing of intruders must be closed,” demanded Beisel. He was pleased that Munich was able to react quickly. “The reporting chains worked well. The intruders were immediately identified and secured.”
Politicians called for consistent punishment for the activists. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wrote on Platform
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) emphasized: “This is not a legitimate protest, but rather a targeted intervention in air traffic. Airports have security areas for good reasons: If air traffic is not safe, people are at risk, there is a risk of major economic damage and thousands of travelers are stranded.” The aviation security law needs to be tightened. In future, interventions of this kind should be punishable as criminal offenses with up to two years in prison.
And CSU General Secretary Martin Huber demanded: “The rule of law should be completely tough on these climate chaotic people.” On X he wrote: “The actions of the last generation are life-threatening – for themselves and others.”
Climate activists cut open fence in four places at once
The so-called last generation reported on Numerous police officers and firefighters were on site to remove the activists.
The federal police spokesman said that initially eight people wanted to get onto the site at four different points at the same time. The men and women cut through the airport security fence. Two of the activists could have been arrested in the area of the fence, the others got further inside.
As the airport spokesman explained, initially only planned landings in Munich from 5 a.m. were affected because take-offs were only allowed to take place from 6 a.m. In the first hour of operation, eight aircraft were diverted to other airports.
Munich Airport was expecting numerous holidaymakers on the first holiday weekend, with a total of around 350,000 passengers expected from Friday to Sunday. Munich Airport wanted to handle 2,860 flights during this time. Overall, seven percent more flights were registered during the Pentecost holidays, the second major travel wave of the year after Easter, than in the previous year, the airport reported before the start of the holidays.
Last generation wanted to disrupt the start of the holiday at the airport
According to their own statements, members of the Last Generation had planned to get onto the airport premises in order to block at least one of the two runways. They wanted to disrupt the beginning of travel at the start of the Whitsun holidays.
The background to the protest is that air traffic accounts for almost ten percent of Germany’s responsibility for global warming. The airline industry is being subsidized by the state by waiving kerosene and VAT, the activists criticized. They are calling for more decisive political action in the face of climate change.
In the past, the group had carried out similar actions at several German airports, such as Berlin, Hamburg and Düsseldorf. In Munich there was already a blockade at the airport in December 2022. At that time, according to authorities, a plane that had an emergency patient on board was only able to land at the airport in the Bavarian capital with a 20-minute delay.