Why this matters
Most of these objects are presumed to be drones, but in many cases no operator was ever found and the objects were never identified. Each incident is a real airspace incursion: aircraft are held, diverted or grounded. Frankfurt and other large hubs have also had repeated short suspensions. The pattern raises the same questions as the UAP debate – who detects, who reports and who investigates?
Timeline of major incidents
· London Gatwick (UK)
Gatwick: three days of disruption
Reported drone sightings halted flights at Gatwick between 19 and 21 December 2018. Around 1,000 flights were affected and roughly 140,000 passengers stranded. No one was ever convicted and the objects were never conclusively identified.
Source: Wikipedia – Gatwick Airport drone incident ↗· Stockholm Arlanda (SE)
Arlanda closed overnight
Air traffic controllers reported several drones and Swedish authorities halted traffic at Arlanda overnight on 8–9 September 2024. Flights were diverted, and police investigated the event as a suspected deliberate act.
Source: Reuters ↗· Copenhagen & Oslo (DK/NO)
Copenhagen shut for hours
Large drones closed Copenhagen Airport for several hours on 22 September 2025, while Oslo also had disruption. Further sightings at other Danish airports, including Aalborg, followed that week. Danish authorities described it as a serious attack on critical infrastructure.
Source: Reuters ↗· Munich (DE)
Munich suspends flights
Drone sightings around Munich Airport on the evening of 2 October 2025 forced a temporary halt. 17 flights were cancelled, others diverted, and thousands of passengers were affected. The case revived the debate about giving German police powers to shoot down drones.
Source: Bayerische Polizei / Bundespolizei ↗· Brussels & Liège (BE)
Brussels and Liège closed
On the evening of 4 November 2025, drone sightings closed Brussels Airport twice and also Liège. Incoming planes were diverted. The event came after reported drone activity near Belgian military sites.
Source: Reuters ↗
Where drones and UAP meet
In UAP terminology an object is 'unidentified' until it is explained – not 'alien'. Airport incursions show how quickly unknown objects become a flight-safety problem, and how fragmented Europe's detection and reporting still is.
MEP Francisco Guerreiro made exactly this point in the European Parliament in 2024: unidentified objects near aircraft are first and foremost a flight-safety issue that needs common reporting and scientific data collection.
- Detection: radar and sensors at many airports are not built to track small, low objects.
- Reporting: pilots and controllers report through national channels, with no common European register.
- Investigation: police, military and aviation authorities share responsibility, and results are rarely published.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do airports close because of drones?
Even a small drone can damage an engine or windscreen. When a drone is reported near runways or approach paths, controllers stop traffic until the area is confirmed safe.
Are drone sightings at airports UFOs?
Technically they are unidentified until explained, but most are presumed to be drones. Some reports turn out to be mistakes, and in several cases no object or operator was ever found.
Which European airports have been closed by drones?
Major cases include London Gatwick (2018), Stockholm Arlanda (2024), Copenhagen and Oslo, Munich, and Brussels and Liège (all 2025). Frankfurt has had repeated short suspensions.