Denmark’s biggest Copenhagen Airport was initially forced shut on Monday evening (local time) after a reported drone sighting. According to law enforcement authorities, two to three “large drones” were spotted flying in the area, leading to hours-long delays and cancellations of flights.
While alarmed passengers had no choice but to constantly check up on flight status given the unprecedented development, the official X account of Copenhagen Airport ultimately announced that it had finally reopened despite the previous disruptions. @CPHAirports’ recent statement still warned passengers of further potential delays and cancelled departures. They were also urged to stay informed about the current updates through their airline.
Københavns Lufthavn åbner igen efter at have været lukket pga. droneaktivitet. Der vil dog være forsinkelser og aflyste afgange. Passagerer bedes holde sig orienteret hos deres flyselskab.
— Copenhagen Airport (@CPHAirports) September 22, 2025
Copenhagen Airport drone sightings – What happened?
As per a statement by police on X, two to three “large” and “unidentified” drones were seen in the air, prompting authorities to take swift action and initiate necessary safety protocol.
With multiple flights diverted, cancelled or delayed in the wake of the suspicious development, another drone incident made headlines at Oslo’s airport the same evening. Norwegian broadcaster NRK further reported that the issue led all traffic to move to one runway. Although the situation has reverted to its normal position, it remains unclear who was behind it.
Lates updates Copenhagen Airport
1. Copenhagen Airport opens again after hours of chaos spurred by drone sightings. A spokesperson for the airport had previously confirmed that the airspace over it was closed at around 8:30 pm local time. “No aircraft can take off or land at the airport, and as a result, several flights are being diverted to other airports,” they issued a statement. “Police are investigating the matter and we currently have to timeline for reopening.”
2. Origins of the drones still a mystery: Copenhagen Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jakob Hansen eventually divulged that the drones simply “disappeared.” Authorities have not “taken any of them.”
3. According to FlightRadar, flight SAS7744 was the first to land at Copenhagen Airport following a four-hours halt.
4. Flight cancellations and more: “50 flights have been canceled so far, 50 flights have been diverted, and approximately 20 further flights are likely to divert over the coming hours,” FlightRadar cited Eurocontrol while issuing an update on the Copenhagen Airport situation on X.
The air traffic tracker initially posted that more than 35 flights destined for the airport in Denmark had been diverted as of 10:05 pm local time. Most flights were ultimately received by Malmo, Billund, Aarhus and Gothenburg.
Per the latest update via Eurocontrol, Copenhagen Airport will remain closed through 0700 UTC 23 Sep. 50 flights have been canceled so far, 50 flights have been diverted, and approximately 20 further flights are likely to divert over the coming hours. https://t.co/MadqkZsLdt pic.twitter.com/5axPAhShaB
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 22, 2025
5. Around 20,000 passengers were reportedly impacted due to the operations-halt this week.
6. The disruptions at Copenhagen Airport have come to light amid increased reports of Russian “sabotage” activities in Europe, as per NBC. Recent weeks have witnessed multiple drone and fighter jet sightings in the NATO airspace.
On top of that, this latest incident comes a week after a cyber attack at Heathrow Airport. According to Sky News, the “technical issue” targeted a service provider for check-in and boarding systems, resulting in 14 flight cancellations at Brussels Airport and more at others, including Heathrow, Dublin and Berlin, on Saturday.
More updates will be added.