Berlin airport closed due to drones: flights redirected

According to glavcom.ua: On Friday evening, air traffic at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) was temporarily suspended for almost two hours due to the detection of unidentified drones. This incident occurred against the backdrop of similar events at other airports in Europe. Takeoffs and landings were suspended from 20:08 to 21:58 local time.

According to an airport spokesperson, 'a whole series of flights' were redirected to other German cities during the closure. Flights to Basel, Oslo, and Barcelona, in particular, were unable to depart. A flight from London had to be redirected to Hamburg.

A witness reported seeing a drone around 20:00, leading to the closure of the northern runway. Police officers also spotted the drone but were unable to locate it. A police helicopter and the Federal Aviation Office of Germany were involved to eliminate the threat. Afterward, the airport had to ease the nighttime flight ban to reduce the impact of delays.

Ban on drones around airports in Germany

The use of drones is prohibited within a radius of 1.5 kilometers from German airports. Illegal flights are considered dangerous and can result in severe penalties. Travelers were advised to check the status of their flights with airlines.

A Ukrainian journalist reported promptly and vivaciously about the temporary suspension of air traffic at Berlin Airport due to drone activity. He documented the incident involving the closure of runways, the redirection of flights to other cities, and the use of a police helicopter to scout the drone outside the airport. The ban on the use of drones within a 1.5-kilometer radius of airports is a safety measure aimed at avoiding potential dangers and ensuring the normal operation of aviation facilities in Germany.