Major European airport promises changes after hundreds of passengers stranded overnight on planes

Munich Airport and Lufthansa have pledged to overhaul their emergency protocols after approximately 600 passengers were left stranded on six planes during a snowstorm last week.

Both organisations issued apologies for what they described as an “unacceptable” incident, committing to new measures to prevent a recurrence.

Passengers endured hours aboard aircraft on 19 February with limited access to food or blankets, receiving sparse updates from crews.

Lufthansa’s Hub Manager for Munich Airport, Heiko Reitz, acknowledged the failings, stating at a joint press conference: “We, Munich Airport and Lufthansa, made mistakes that night and together we take responsibility.”

Operational shortfalls, including a lack of terminal space, stretched bus capacity, and staff shortages exacerbated by a strict night curfew, were identified as key factors delaying passenger transfers.

The airline has since begun contacting affected travellers to process compensation claims.

The handling of the situation drew sharp criticism from pilot and firefighter unions, while local politicians voiced concerns that the event could damage Munich’s reputation as a vital transit hub.

Lufthansa and Munich Airport pledged to improve coordination and readiness in future disruptions.

Affected flights included five Lufthansa Group journeys to Copenhagen, Singapore, Gdansk and two to Graz and Venice operated by Air Dolomiti, a Lufthansa Group subsidiary. An additional flight operated by Air Arabia was also grounded due to the “exceptional weather conditions”, said the German airport.

Munich Airport is usually subject to strict night flight regulations between midnight and 5am.

On Thursday, takeoff permission was extended to 1am to clear departures delayed by the weather, as approved by the Ministry of Transport.

A spokesperson for Munich Airport previously said: “Due to the exceptional weather conditions, these aircraft had to turn back unexpectedly.

“The reason for this was that heavy, wet snowfall led to longer than average de-icing times and the need to close the runways at short notice for snow clearance. As a result, the affected aircraft were unable to meet the 1am deadline.

“The available terminal capacity was already occupied by cancelled flights that had been parked during the day, which is why the late-returning aircraft had to be parked in remote positions.”

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