The Landshut Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation into an incident at Munich Airport where approximately 600 people spent the night in immobilized aircraft. Heavy snowfall and logistical paralysis meant passengers from six flights, including one to Gdańsk, remained on the airport apron without the possibility of returning to the terminal. Police have handed investigators a report concerning potential negligence and unacceptable conditions endured by the travelers.

Prosecutorial Investigation

The Landshut Public Prosecutor's Office is examining a police report concerning passengers forced to spend the night inside aircraft on the airport apron.

Scale of the Incident

Approximately 600 passengers from six different flights were trapped on board aircraft due to a winter storm and paralysis of ground services.

Flight to Gdańsk

Among those affected were passengers flying to Poland, as well as to Singapore, Copenhagen, and many cities across Europe.

The situation at Munich Airport, which occurred overnight from Thursday to Friday, has become the subject of law enforcement interest following intervention by a third party. As many as six aircraft from Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti were stuck on the snow-covered airport apron. Despite receiving special clearances for takeoff after the curfew, the weather prevented departures to cities such as Gdańsk, Copenhagen, Singapore, Graz, and Venice. According to witness accounts, ground handling staff ended their shifts, effectively trapping passengers inside the aircraft for many hours without the possibility of evacuation to the terminal. The Munich Police prepared a detailed report, which was forwarded to the Landshut Public Prosecutor's Office. Surprisingly, the investigation was not initiated by the passengers themselves, but by a report filed by a third party via the Landeskriminalamt contact form. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office confirmed that documentation is being analyzed for potential crimes, such as unlawful deprivation of liberty or endangering health, although formal charges have not yet been filed. EU regulations concerning passenger rights (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004) impose on airlines the obligation of care, including providing meals and accommodation, for delays exceeding two hours. The situation of being trapped inside an aircraft for an entire night is treated by civil aviation authorities as an extreme violation of passenger safety and comfort standards.Travelers' accounts describe an atmosphere of growing frustration and helplessness, stemming from a lack of precise information from the carriers and a lack of support from airport services during the critical moment of the winter storm. The tarmac became a temporary prison for hundreds of people, and the case has sparked a nationwide debate in Germany about crisis procedures at key transportation hubs. Number of trapped passengers by airline: Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti: 6006 — aircraft were stuck overnight on the airport apron

Mentioned People

  • Kilian Kunkel — Passenger reporting events from on board the aircraft.
  • Jonas Himmler — Passenger reporting events from on board the aircraft.