Lufthansa, Munich Airport Face Backlash as Snowstorm Strands Hundreds
German media were unsparing in their condemnation Monday. The newspaper Merkur ran the headline "Nightmare at Munich Airport: Passengers locked in planes all night," while Bild, the country's best-selling tabloid, took direct aim at officials who characterized the ordeal as an "inconvenience," firing back: "Are you serious?"
Approximately 500 passengers were caught up in the chaos, according to media reports. The situation deteriorated Thursday evening as intense snowfall triggered a wave of cancellations, leaving travelers stranded aboard five Lufthansa Group aircraft scheduled to depart for Singapore, Copenhagen, Gdansk, Graz, and Venice.
Aviation analyst and licensed pilot Mirko Miesen offered a scathing assessment of how the crisis was managed. "At this point, I really wonder why people are treated with such ignorance, knowing that they are sitting there in a confined space, perhaps even with children, perhaps with elderly people, in a confined space in a passenger plane," he told a news channel.
Lufthansa defended its handling of the situation, stating that aircraft were required to remain at a remote holding area under airport authority rules. Terminal gates were fully occupied, and a shortage of airside buses severely hampered efforts to disembark passengers.
"Crews continuously informed the guests and provided them with the best possible care with the drinks and food available on board," the airline said. "Only after hours could the passengers be picked up by the buses and thus leave the aircraft."
A Munich Airport spokesperson acknowledged the severity of conditions, attributing the widespread disruption to "very tense" weather overnight from Thursday into Friday, which cascaded into sweeping delays and cancellations across the facility.
The airport confirmed it worked around the clock to contain the situation, but noted that aircraft remained unable to reposition, with all direct terminal stands occupied and bus resources stretched to their limits. "We very much regret the inconveniences that arose as a result," the spokesperson said.
Munich Airport further emphasized that emergency contingency plans are in place and undergo regular review, adding that it "deeply regrets" the events and extends its apologies to all those affected.
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