Denmark and Norway were forced to shut their busiest airports on Monday night following sightings of unidentified drones, triggering hours of air travel chaos and grounding tens of thousands of passengers.
Operations at Copenhagen Airport, Scandinavia’s largest air hub, were suspended around 20:30 local time (18:30 GMT) after authorities confirmed reports of drones flying in the restricted airspace. Take-offs and landings were halted immediately, with flights diverted to nearby airports.
According to the flight-tracking service Flightradar24, at least 35 flights were rerouted. Normal operations resumed at 00:30 local time (23:30 GMT) after a near four-hour shutdown.
Norway faced a similar situation at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport, where airspace was closed at midnight following drone activity. The airport remained shut until 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT), with several flights diverted as a result.
In total, Danish authorities estimate around 20,000 passengers were impacted, with many forced to spend hours stranded in terminals or redirected to distant airports. In a statement, Copenhagen Airport urged passengers to check with their airlines about delays and cancellations as disruptions are expected to ripple through schedules for days.
Deputy Police Inspector Jakob Hansen told reporters that the drones were likely flown by a “capable operator” aiming to “show off,” but stressed that investigators had no evidence of malicious intent.
“There is nothing to suggest the drones were intended to cause harm,” Hansen said, while noting that armed forces were deployed in response.
When asked whether the drones could have been of Russian origin, Hansen said he could neither confirm nor deny the speculation. The question gained traction after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referenced “Russia’s violation” of NATO airspace in Copenhagen on 22 September in a social media post. Neither NATO nor EU leaders have made any public attribution.
Danish police further stated that “a number of measures will be implemented” as part of the investigation but declined to elaborate. They also noted that, at present, there is no direct evidence linking the drone incidents in Denmark and Norway.
Drone activity near airports poses significant risks, with even small devices capable of disrupting flight paths or colliding with aircraft. Past incidents in Europe and elsewhere have highlighted the growing challenge of securing skies against unauthorized drone operations, particularly in sensitive areas.
A spokesperson for Copenhagen Airport described the closure as a precautionary necessity: “No aircraft can take off or land at the airport, and as a result, several flights are being diverted to other airports. Police are investigating the matter, and we currently have no timeline for reopening.”
Norwegian police echoed similar concerns after the Oslo disruption, telling public broadcaster NRK that investigations were underway.
The incidents underscore growing fears about drone-related threats in Europe, especially at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. While investigations continue, the twin closures serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities modern aviation faces from unmanned aerial devices.