Heavy snowfall and freezing rain led to significant disruptions in Bavarian air traffic at the start of the week in January 2026. At the Munich hub, 15 out of a total of 736 scheduled flights were cancelled by mid-morning.
Nuremberg Airport also saw the first cancellations of 69 scheduled takeoffs and landings. The German Weather Service had previously issued the second-highest severe weather warning for the entire state of Bavaria, prompting airlines to proactively reduce their flight schedules. In addition to the local weather conditions in Bavaria, restrictions at other European hubs, particularly Frankfurt am Main, also caused chain reactions and delays in Bavarian airspace.
To maintain operations, winter maintenance crews at the Munich, Nuremberg, and Memmingen airports are currently working tirelessly. In Munich alone, approximately 5,6 million square meters of land must be kept clear of snow and ice. The procedure involves clearing the two runways alternately to prevent a complete shutdown of air traffic. In Nuremberg, the clearing area covers approximately 618.000 square meters. A critical factor in the schedule is the mandatory de-icing of aircraft immediately before takeoff. This involves treating the wings and tail surfaces with special fluids to ensure aerodynamic safety, a process that takes several minutes per aircraft.
Additional complications arise from the regulations of the German Air Navigation Services (DFS). In poor visibility conditions, such as those caused by heavy snowfall or fog, the intervals between landings must be increased for safety reasons. This significantly reduces runway capacity and leads to holding patterns during approach. Industry reports indicate that such weather conditions also pose challenges for ground logistics, as baggage handling and refueling are slower under icy conditions. Passengers are advised to continuously check their flight status online, as short-notice cancellations due to the dynamic weather situation remain possible at any time.
While Bavarian airports are equipped with high-performance snow removal fleets, the combination of freezing rain and high traffic volume inevitably leads to bottlenecks. In Munich, specialized snow blowers are clearing the runways in formation, while in Memmingen, more compact snow removal units are being used for the apron. Experts point out that air traffic safety takes absolute priority over punctuality during such severe weather conditions. Personnel capacity for winter services has been increased to maximum at all Bavarian stations for this period to minimize the impact on air travel.