Vilnius Airport, Lithuania. Photo: Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock Airspace disruption in Lithuania's capital.
Vilnius Airport closed its airspace overnight (Saturday through Sunday) for about 7 hours due to an unusual report of hot air balloons moving towards the airport.
The airspace was closed around 22:16 and reopened around 04:50 in the morning. During this time, approximately 30 flights were affected, with some being canceled. The Lithuanian Airports Authority notes that around 6,000 passengers were impacted by the disruptions.
Due to the impact on crew rotations and aircraft, flight delays may continue at the airport throughout the day. Passengers whose flights have been canceled are asked not to go to the airport and to contact the airlines for alternative travel arrangements and further information.
The incident in Lithuania's capital comes after a week where a series of mysterious incidents struck major airports in Europe, causing widespread disruptions.
During the weekend, there were three consecutive days of significant disruptions at Munich International Airport, with hundreds of flights canceled or diverted and thousands of passengers having to spend the night in terminals.
Simultaneously, similar alerts were reported at other airports in Europe, including Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Poland, Belgium, and Prague.
Photo: Shutterstock