Air traffic - Thunderstorm leads to exceptions to the night flight ban in Frankfurt
Already on a Wednesday evening, inclement weather had led the Air Traffic Control to grant exceptions for 46 takeoffs after 11:00 PM. 16 aircraft landed after 11:00 PM. Previously, the operation had to be halted for over an hour on Wednesday evening.
At Frankfurt Airport, night flight restrictions apply between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Delayed planes with scheduled arrivals before 11:00 PM are permitted to land until midnight under certain conditions. Delayed takeoffs are also possible until midnight, but require separate authorization following a thorough individual assessment.
The sudden Thunderstorm posed a challenge to the air traffic in Hesse, affecting Frankfurt Airport significantly. Despite the BMWi's efforts to manage the Storm, there were delays in both air traffic and landings. Frankfurt Airport, known for its strict night flight ban between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM, granted exceptions for 46 takeoffs due to the weather conditions, extending the operation past the usual cutoff. Even though 16 aircraft landed after 11:00 PM, Gothenburg's flights were not affected due to different regulations.
