Copenhagen Airport faced significant disruption on Monday evening, with dozens of flights diverted after authorities closed the facility for several hours due to reported drone sightings. Police confirmed that two or three large drones were observed flying in the area, though further details were not immediately provided.
A spokesperson for Copenhagen Airport stated that the sightings led to the airport’s closure around 8:30 p.m. “No aircraft can take off or land,” she explained, resulting in numerous flights being redirected to alternative airports. Investigations are underway, and a timeline for full reopening was initially unavailable.
Early Tuesday, the airport resumed operations, but passengers were advised to anticipate lingering flight delays and cancellations.
Meanwhile, as the Copenhagen incident unfolded, Norway’s national broadcaster reported a separate drone sighting near Oslo’s main airport on Monday night. While there was no immediate indication of a connection between the two events, flights in Oslo were shifted to a single runway as a precautionary measure, maintaining smooth air traffic flow.
Aviation tracking data indicated that over 35 flights destined for Copenhagen had to change course by 10:05 p.m. local time.
This incident follows recent disturbances at major European airports, including a cyberattack that caused travel chaos over the weekend. Earlier in the year, British airports experienced closures due to a technical glitch in their flight control system and, separately, a fire at a power substation. These events echo a similar situation in December 2018, when drones near London’s Gatwick Airport led to hundreds of flight cancellations and stranded thousands of holiday travelers.