Unknown objects appearing near critical flight paths naturally is reason enough to temporarily close down the airspace. For passengers and airlines, the effects have been significant. In October alone, Vilnius Airport was forced to close on at least six occasions, sometimes for several hours at a time. During these incidents, inbound flights were diverted to nearby airports such as Kaunas (KUN), Riga (RIX), and Warsaw (WAW), while departures were suspended.
During the night of October 21–22nd, Vilnius Airport remained closed for over eight hours, forcing around 30 flights to divert or cancel and impacting more than 4,000 travelers. The following weekend saw additional closures, reportedly affecting another estimated 10,000 passengers.
With geopolitical tensions remaining high in the region, here’s hoping that cooler heads prevail—and that all aviation-related incidents can be avoided.
