Munich airport in lockdown after person strays into ‘airside’ area

Someone gained access through an emergency exit

Thousands of passengers are stranded at Germany’s second-largest airport, Munich, after someone managed to enter the “airside” area by going the wrong way through an emergency exit.

The airport tweeted: “According to the information currently available, a person has probably entered the clean area of Terminal 2 through an emergency exit door from the unclean area.

“As a result, police measures are currently in progress.”

The main airline at the Bavarian airport, Lufthansa, said: “Terminal 2 and areas B and C of Terminal 1 are currently closed.

“As soon as we have further information, we will inform you via the known channels.”

Terminal 2 is the home of Lufthansa, which operates hundreds of flights through Munich each day.

Munich is the eighth-busiest airport in Europe, with around 130,000 passengers passing through in a normal day.

One passenger, Michele Cassola, tweeted: “Could you please inform people standing outside passport control gates since 8am this morning. No official information given so far.”

Another, Jesse Thorson, wrote “What are these disruptions? We need water and food, not to mention getting on our flights!”

Passengers who had already been security screened have been told they must return “landside” and go through the security check for a second time.

Lufthansa has cancelled dozens of flights, and every departure is showing as delayed.

While arriving flights are currently being allowed to land, the airfield is filling quickly and diversions may soon begin.

Phil McKinney tweeted: “Just landed in #Munich and was told Terminal 2 is closed for safety reasons.

“All passengers are being removed from the terminal ... so we are being parked on a remote area of the airport ....great way to start the week.”