500 Passengers Trapped Overnight on Lufthansa Jets at Munich Airport
Hundreds of airline passengers expecting a short journey across Europe instead found themselves spending the night inside parked aircraft, as snow and strict airport rules brought operations at Munich to a standstill.
The disruption unfolded at Munich Airport , one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs and a key base for Lufthansa . What began as routine evening departures quickly escalated into chaos when heavy snowfall slowed ground operations and triggered a cascade of cancellations.
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Among the affected services was Lufthansa flight LH2446 to Copenhagen Airport . Passengers had already boarded the Airbus A320neo. The aircraft was pushed to a remote stand. Delays kept mounting. Then, as the clock moved closer to midnight, the flight was called off altogether.
But here is where the situation took a troubling turn.
Because of limited parking stands at the terminal and a shortage of available buses on the apron, passengers were unable to return to the airport building. Munich enforces a strict night curfew and once operations slowed under the weight of the snow, logistics began to break down. Around 500 travelers across multiple flights were left with no immediate way off their planes.
Instead of hotel rooms or terminal seating, they spent the night in narrow short-haul seats. Blankets were scarce. Food supplies were minimal, because these were brief European routes not designed for long stays. Updates reportedly came in intervals, but practical solutions were slow to arrive. Buses only began transporting passengers back to the terminal in the early morning hours.
In total, roughly 100 flights were canceled during the weather disruption. Some aircraft that had even been granted limited permission to depart after curfew were ultimately held back due to deteriorating conditions. That left fully boarded planes stranded on the apron, with crews and travelers waiting for clarity that never came overnight.
This incident raises broader questions about contingency planning at major hub airports. Snow is not uncommon in Bavaria during winter. Curfews are well known. So when weather and regulations collide, systems must respond quickly. For passengers, the experience was exhausting and frustrating. For airlines and airports, it highlights the fragile balance between operational efficiency and passenger care.
As air travel demand continues to rebound across Europe, resilience during irregular operations is under renewed scrutiny. Severe weather will always test infrastructure. The real question is how prepared airports and carriers are when those tests come late at night, under pressure and with hundreds of people already on board.
We will continue tracking developments and any official responses from the airline and airport authorities. Stay with us for verified updates as this story unfolds.
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