Munich, Bavaria, Germany – Munich Airport has gradually resumed flight operations following a fire alarm in its control tower on Sunday evening. A spokesperson for the airport company confirmed the restart of flights, though the airport’s website indicated that delays and restrictions could still occur.
Tower Evacuated Due to Smoke Odor
The airport had previously announced that operations were temporarily suspended. “The tower at Munich Airport was evacuated at 8:33 PM due to a smell of smoke,” the website stated. “German Air Traffic Control has stopped flight operations until further notice.” Approximately two hours later, individual departures were already taking place.
Cause of Fire Alarm Remains Unclear
The exact number of affected flights was not yet determined, according to the airport spokesperson. Although Sunday marked the last day of Bavaria’s Whitsun school holidays, the main travel period for the day had already concluded. Nevertheless, display boards at the airport continued to show numerous delayed flights into the evening.
The cause of the smoke odor was not immediately known. The spokesperson reported that air traffic controllers detected the smell of smoke in the tower, but initially, no fire or smoke was visible. The fire department is currently investigating the cause.
Impact on Passengers and Operations
The incident caused disruptions for passengers, with many flights experiencing significant delays. While the primary travel rush had subsided, the late-evening disruption still impacted those traveling on the last day of the holidays. Airport authorities are working to minimize further delays and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation into the cause of the fire alarm progresses and flight schedules stabilize.
