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Update: 143 flights cancelled at Frankfurt Airport due to drone sighting

Frankfurt airport was shut down for nearly an hour on Thursday morning as operators halted flights over a drone sighting, in the latest such incident affecting a busy European hub.

Published: 9 May 2019 08:34 CEST
Updated: 9 May 2019 17:22 CEST
Update: 143 flights cancelled at Frankfurt Airport due to drone sighting
Archive photo shows a drone and an aeroplane. Photo: DPA

No landings or take-offs were allowed after a drone was spotted over the southern part of the airport area in the early morning, but the all clear was given shortly after 8.15am at Germany's busiest airport.

The aviation authority said 143 take-offs and landings were cancelled and 48 aircraft already in the air were diverted to other airports among a total of 1,500 scheduled flights on Thursday.

Several passengers had to wait in planes while the sighting was investigated.

The drone, which was approximately 1.5 metres in diameter, was spotted by several pilots.

Police are investigating and a helicopter tried to track the remote-controlled device after the latest drone incident to disrupt flights at the airport.

SEE ALSO: Drones cause record amount of air traffic disruption in Germany

Police were at the scene investigating the incident. They tweeted to say flight operations had resumed at 8.18am.

In March, flights were grounded for half an hour at the airport following a drone sighting, also over the southern part of the site. It caused lengthy delays and the cancellation of 60 of the day's 1,439 scheduled flights. 

In Germany, drone flights over the take-off and landing area at airports are strictly prohibited.

However, the number of drones being sighted is increasing. Last year, for example, German Air Traffic Control (DFL) registered 125 disruptions in the area around airports. The most disruptions (31) occurred at Frankfurt Airport, followed by Berlin-Tegel (17), Munich (14) and Hamburg (12).

In 2017, a total of 88 cases were reported in German airports, while in 2016 there were 64 incidents.

Is flying a drone legal?

Flying a drone is legal in Germany but strict rules must be followed. Drone flights over runways at airports are prohibited.

Drones are also not allowed to be flown over crowds, hospitals, prisons, government buildings, federal highways and railways. Drone operators must also keep their device within sight during the flight and not fly higher than 100 metres. There are exceptions at model airfields.

Control zones around German airports where drones cannot be flown can be viewed on the maps here.

The devices pose a major security risk. If they collide with an aircraft, they can damage its hull or engine. The main problem for air traffic control is that threats are not visible on the radar, DFS spokeswoman Ute Otterbein previously told the Hessenschau.

The figures are therefore based on information from pilots who report a drone sighting to the air traffic controllers.

Germany is not the only country to suffer from airborne pests. London's Gatwick airport was shut down for three days last December over drone sightings, causing holiday travel misery for tens of thousands.

As a result, the British government in March brought into force a no-fly zone for drones within five kilometres of British airports.

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Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

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