Fire alarm at Munich Airport: Tower evacuated, flight operations largely suspended

The Federal Police told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the situation was unclear so far. The fire department was assessing the situation. A Federal Police spokesperson also stated: "Wir wissen es noch nicht genau." According to his words, flight operations were "zum Teil" (partially) suspended.

Contradictory information about the situation

The Federal Police also stated that there was no fire and no flames were shooting out. The authority thus contradicted the initial report of an actual fire in the tower. The exact cause of the smell of smoke remained unclear in the evening.

In the evening, the online flight schedule did not indicate that operations had been completely suspended. Some delays could be seen for arrivals and departures, and according to the schedule, some flights were diverted. However, the flight schedule also showed current check-ins.

Impact on the flight schedule

Lufthansa also still announced further arrivals for Sunday evening. According to the online flight schedule, flight operations of the airport's largest home carrier initially continued in parts, while the air traffic control service officially suspended operations.

In a European comparison, Munich Airport ranks eighth among the largest European airports in terms of flight movements, according to the 2025 Statistical Annual Report of Munich Airport. According to its website, the airport has 150 shops and 60 restaurants.

Background: Munich Airport

Der Tagesspiegel pointed out in its reporting that further details were still pending. The responsible authorities, including the Federal Police and the fire department, were assessing the situation in the evening. An official confirmation of what had caused the smell of smoke in the tower was not initially available.

Deutsche Flugsicherung coordinates air traffic in German airspace and is, among other things, responsible for the clearance of takeoffs and landings. A precautionary suspension of operations is an instrument to rule out risks to aircraft and passengers as long as the infrastructure on the ground is not secured beyond doubt.