Munich Airport was closed on Saturday for flight operations (take-offs and landings) due to heavy snowfall in Southern Germany.
The airport has reopened for limited flight operations, and airlines have restarted their operations. Passengers should consult their itineraries to see if their ticketed flights are operating or have been rebooked.
Munich Airport Announcement:
⚠️Update Dec 3
Flight operations resumed at 6 a.m.
There will still be restrictions. If you are flying today, please check the status of your flight with your airline before traveling to the airport: https://t.co/lrlSMQBLYe pic.twitter.com/M766D2xlLc— Munich Airport (@MUC_Airport) December 3, 2023
EC 261/2004 Duty to Care:
The European Union Air Passenger Rights (EC 261/2004) also apply in case of irregular operations beyond the airlines’ control.
Airlines are required to provide Duty to Care (accommodation & meals) in case of long delays. The compensation for flight cancellations and delays, however, does not apply here.
Passengers can opt for a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly delayed (some flights have been merely postponed by 20+ hours), even if their fare is nonrefundable.
Airlines must rebook affected passengers to their final destinations at the earliest convenience, even when this means moving them to competing airlines and avoiding Munich Airport altogether in case of connecting itineraries.
Conclusion
It is always unexpected when there is snowfall in some parts of Europe during winter, although the weather challenges in Southern Germany have been significant this weekend.
A touch of snow in London roughly at the same time last year brought the area airports to a standstill, and a fight I was on was delayed by a day.
