Munich International Airport (MUC) was forced to close and suspend all morning flight operations on December 5, 2023 after heavy snowfall blanketed the airport, runways and planes.
Rain that froze overnight due to negative temperatures coupled with snowfall have all contributed to the temporary closure of the airport.
This comes after operations were also halted on the weekend of December 2-3, 2023 due freezing temperatures.
MUC, which is the second busiest airport in Germany, announced via social media that air traffic will be suspended until 12 pm on December 5, 2023.
“On December 5, 2023, there will be no take-offs and landings from the start of operations at 06:00 until 12:00 noon,” the airport said.
Among the aircraft frozen during the weekend closure were private jets for German delegates heading to the Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
The airport also announced that the Christmas and winter markets will also be closed until December 8, 2023, and light rides will be suspended.
In a video clip, airport workers can be seen removing and clearing snow on the morning of December 5, 2023, to make sure operations resume on time.
“The operating areas will be de-iced in the first half of the day. The plan is to allow air traffic to resume from midday. However, it can be assumed that the majority of flights will also have to be canceled during the rest of the day for safety reasons,” the airport said on its website.
The airport also said that there is “insufficient capacity” available at the airport, and advised passengers to use their respective airline’s online services.