VILNIUS-Lithuania’s main air hub, Vilnius Airport, has reopened after a multi-hour shutdown triggered late Saturday by the reported sighting of up to 13 unidentified balloons in its airspace. The incident caused significant disruption, with approximately 30 flights canceled or diverted and nearly 6,000 travelers impacted, according to the airport operator.
Incoming flights were rerouted to neighboring airports in Latvia and Poland before the airspace was cleared and operations resumed early Sunday morning. The temporary closure marks the latest in a series of aerial incursions plaguing European aviation, following recent drone-triggered shutdowns at major hubs in Denmark, Norway, and Germany. The recurring security threats are raising increasing concerns about airspace vulnerability across the continent.
