Queues stretched outside Terminal 2 at Munich Airport on Thursday. Passengers reported waiting time of up to 2.5 hours. Airport spokesperson speaks for 1.5 hours.
Things get tight at the airport: long waits before security checks
Passengers at Munich Airport will have to wait longer before security checks in the next few days. Passenger numbers increased throughout the long weekend, a spokeswoman told BR, referring to Oktoberfest and “Bridge Day”.
A number of factors have been cited as the cause of the problems: Security controls have been phased in over a period of time and are not available at full capacity. According to an airport spokesperson, airlines such as Lufthansa are now informing their customers on their app that they should plan more time and arrive early. That means more number of passengers arrive at the same time in the morning and afternoon hours.
Due to the lower speed limit on the S8, there are currently fewer S-Bahn trains to the airport – the result: on days like this, more crowded S-Bahn trains arrive and depart, causing queues in front of the terminals. All this, combined with a long weekend including a bridge day, results in a difficult “mixed situation”.
Passengers report 2.5 hour waits and late departures
Commuters had to wait for a long time especially on Thursday morning. Eyewitnesses tell BR that the flight to Paris was delayed by two-and-a-half hours. As a result, the flight was able to take off 40 minutes late, an eyewitness said.
While Munich Airport normally sees around 130,000 passengers each day, airport spokesman Wilhelm said there were more than 10,000 during Oktoberfest. There were already long queues last Sunday and last Monday.
Airport spokesperson: “Mass meets narrow space”
The route to security checks in Terminal 2 has already been made as efficient as possible with tapes, and the Munich Security Agency (SGM) will once again handle all available locks, an airport spokesman said on Friday. Nevertheless, the basic problem remains: “Mass meets a small space.”
But we will try to take care of the waiting people as best as possible, for example, we will offer them drinks again.
Nationwide data transmission problem in air traffic control
In addition, German air traffic control (DFS) experienced a nationwide problem with data transmission on Friday morning. According to the authority, the glitch, which has already been resolved, specifically resulted in the loss of flight plan data and weather data. The data should now be updated.
According to DFS, disruptions occurred primarily in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, said about 70 were canceled. There are significant delays and connection failures. Other airports are also likely to be affected. Passengers are advised to check their flight status regularly on airlines’ websites.
