Heavy snowfall paralyzed Munich Airport, forcing around 600 passengers to spend the night aboard immobilized aircraft. The situation mainly affected flights operated by Lufthansa, whose crews could not transport travelers to the terminals due to icy aprons. The incident sparked a wave of criticism towards the airport authorities, and the German prosecutor's office has already taken up the matter, investigating potential violations of safety regulations.

Overnight Airport Paralysis

Several hundred passengers were stuck in planes on the apron due to the inability to deploy evacuation buses.

Prosecutor's Investigation

German investigators are examining whether a crime of endangering passengers occurred during the snow chaos.

Criticism of Lufthansa

Travelers complain about a lack of care, blankets, and food during the hours-long wait inside the aircraft.

Right to Compensation

Lawyers are analyzing the possibility of claiming financial compensation for the violation of passenger rights in extraordinary situations.

A winter attack in Bavaria led to an unprecedented paralysis of Germany's second-largest airport. Around 600 passengers, including families with children, were trapped in planes standing on the airport apron for over a dozen hours. The most difficult situation was on Lufthansa aircraft, where travelers had to camp out in cramped seats with limited access to fresh air. Airport authorities explain that extreme weather conditions prevented the safe deployment of stairs and buses to evacuate people from the aircraft. Criticism has fallen on the facility's operator for a lack of adequate preparation for what were, after all, predictable February snowfalls. Industry experts describe the event as a "complete system collapse," pointing to errors in communication and ground logistics. Passengers report a lack of blankets, insufficient meals, and growing frustration caused by a lack of reliable information from the crews. The Prosecutor's Office in Munich has launched a preliminary investigation to determine whether passengers' health was endangered and whether safety procedures were followed. Munich Airport, opened in 1992, is considered one of the most modern airports in Europe, but it regularly struggles with operational problems during severe frosts due to the specific terrain around the Erdinger Moos.Discussions are currently underway regarding a compensation system for the affected individuals. According to EU regulations, passengers are entitled to compensation ranging from 250 to 600 euros, provided the carrier cannot prove the occurrence of "extraordinary circumstances." However, lawyers note that while a snowstorm is a weather phenomenon, detaining people inside aircraft for hours without the possibility of disembarkation could be considered an operational error by the airline or the airport. „Det var en nat fra helvede. Vi sad i en metaldåse uden nogen informationer og følte os som vejrets gidsler.” (It was a night from hell. We sat in a metal can without any information and felt like hostages of the weather.) — Danish passenger who described the conditions on the immobilized Lufthansa plane.600 — passengers spent the night on the airport apron

Mentioned People

  • Mads Nielsen — Danish passenger who described the conditions on the immobilized Lufthansa plane.