Heavy snow at Munich Airport on Feb. 19 caused runway closures and long de-icing delays that left about 500 passengers spending the night aboard grounded aircraft. A Lufthansa flight to Copenhagen with 123 people was held at a remote stand, delayed for hours and canceled shortly before midnight when no apron buses or stairs were available. Passengers reported limited food and no blankets until buses arrived in the early morning. Lufthansa and Munich Airport expressed regret and said affected travelers were rebooked.
Heavy Snow Strands About 500 Passengers Overnight at Munich Airport After Flights Canceled
A Lufthansa aircraft being de-iced at Munich Airport in Germany in January 2026Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty
Heavy snowfall at Munich Airport on Thursday, Feb. 19 triggered runway closures and major de-icing delays, leaving roughly 500 passengers stranded overnight on grounded aircraft, according to multiple reports.
One of the worst-affected flights was Lufthansa LH2446 to Copenhagen, scheduled to depart at 21:30 local time with 123 people on board. Passengers say the flight was repeatedly delayed for about two and a half hours before being canceled shortly before midnight. Because the aircraft was parked at a remote stand, there were reportedly no apron buses or mobile stairs available to transfer people back to the terminal.
Munich AirportMatthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty
Passengers quoted by Danish paper Ekstra Bladet and German outlet Bild said crew announced every 30 minutes that buses were being arranged, but at around 2 a.m. they were told the airport was effectively inaccessible due to Munich's night-flight ban (00:00–05:00) and that bus drivers had gone home. Travelers described minimal provisions on board — only a few bottles of water and no blankets — which was especially frustrating for a short, roughly 90-minute route.
“There must be something we can do. We can just go to the airport, we ask. But we're not allowed to. It's forbidden, we're told. We're simply trapped here, along with the staff too,”
Other Lufthansa flights and two Air Dolomiti services to Austria and Italy were also affected, with passengers spending extended time on the tarmac, the reports said. Airlines and the airport attributed the disruption to heavy snowfall, temporary runway closures and lengthy de-icing operations.
Lufthansa plane at Munich Airport on Feb. 13, 2026Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty
In a statement to local media, Lufthansa said the aircraft remained on the apron at the instruction of Munich Airport and that passengers were later rebooked onto the next available flights. Munich Airport also said it "deeply regrets the inconvenience caused." Passengers were allowed to disembark in the early hours once buses and stairs arrived, and many were rebooked — though some connecting flights faced further delays.
This incident has drawn criticism from travelers and prompted questions about how airports and carriers manage ground operations during severe winter weather and overnight curfews.
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