Climate activists disrupted air travel at Munich airport on Saturday by breaking through a security fence and gluing themselves to access routes leading to runways. The activists, affiliated with the group Last Generation, called for an end to flying as the most polluting form of transportation. Six activists were detained by police, resulting in the temporary shutdown of around 60 flights. Passengers affected by the disruption were rebooked on alternative flights, while 14 flights bound for Munich were diverted to other airports.
Last Generation accused the German government of minimizing the negative impact of flying on the environment and urged them to take more sincere action. German Interior Minister Nancy Fraese condemned the activists’ actions, stating that such criminal behavior poses a threat to air traffic and damages climate protection efforts. She called for an end to these protests and commended police for restoring order at the airport. Additionally, she called for a review of airport safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Minister for Transport Volker Wissing announced that his ministry was already working on tightening existing laws in light of the recent incident. The general manager of the German Airports Association, Ralph Beisel, criticized the activists for causing inconvenience to hundreds of thousands of passengers who were expecting a smooth start to their Pentecost holiday. Beisel also called for harsher penalties for activists who breach airport security. This disruption follows similar incidents in July when climate activists blocked flights at Hamburg and Duesseldorf airports for several hours.
In January, Last Generation announced a shift in tactics, moving away from glueing themselves to streets and vehicles to holding “disobedient assemblies.” The group’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz describing them as “completely nutty.” The disruptive protests have raised concerns about their impact on air travel, prompting calls for stricter security measures and legal consequences for climate activists who interfere with airport operations. The ongoing tension between environmental activism and the aviation industry highlights the challenges of balancing climate concerns with the need for efficient air travel.
