Operation at Hamburg Airport concluded – man had accidentally triggered emergency switch

Sequence of the security incident

During the closure of the security area, no departures took place. Long lines formed in front of the check-in counters, as passengers were unable to access the departure areas. Passengers already seated in aircraft also had to disembark and were led back into the terminal.

The Federal Police searched the area in the terminal to rule out any potential dangers. The man who had activated the emergency switch is in police custody, according to the authority. No further details about his identity or the exact sequence of events were initially provided.

The all-clear came in the afternoon: the Federal Police operation at Hamburg Airport has just been concluded, the authority announced. The security area was reopened, and departures could gradually resume operations. In the meantime, this is once again possible.

Impact on flight operations

The incident caused significant disruptions to flight operations. Travelers had to endure waiting times of several hours in some cases, and individual connections were delayed considerably. The airport itself did not initially comment on the specific impact on the flight schedule.

Even though the evacuation initially revealed no indication of a concrete threat, the standard procedures for a security incident had to be followed. These included the evacuation of the departure areas, the search of the terminal, and the questioning of the man who had triggered the alarm.

Investigations and open questions

The Federal Police announced that it would continue to investigate the incident. It initially remained open what consequences the man, who is in police custody, will face. The question of how the accidental activation of the emergency switch could have occurred is also part of the ongoing investigations.