Berlin Brandenburg Airport suspended its flights after a drone was spotted / Air traffic resumed after 45 minutes

Flight operations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) were completely suspended for 45 minutes on Wednesday evening after a drone was spotted near the airport. The incident prompted German authorities to temporarily close both runways to eliminate risks to aircraft.

The drone was spotted at around 20:00 local time. Germany’s air traffic control service first closed the northern runway, which is used for takeoffs and landings. At 20:20, the southern runway was also closed, and all flight operations were halted.

Both runways were reopened at 21:05, according to airport representatives and the federal police, cited by the dpa news agency.

The incident draws renewed attention to the growing number of drones spotted near the airport. In the first half of the year, the control tower at Berlin Brandenburg Airport reported 28 sightings, the highest number recorded at a German airport. In seven of these cases, flights were temporarily disrupted.

By comparison, only eight drones were detected at BER and in the surrounding area throughout 2025. Frankfurt Airport reported one fewer case in the first six months of this year.