Helsinki Airport resumes flights after drone alert forces suspension, officials say

Helsinki Airport resumed normal flight operations on Friday after suspending air traffic for three hours due to a drone warning, officials said.

The airport suspended air traffic from 4:00 am-7:00 am local time after safety authorities issued a danger alert for the southern Uusimaa region over a potential drone in the area.

“Although flights are operating again, the disruption will cause delays and cancellations on Friday, May 15. Morning delays may also affect departing and arriving flights later in the afternoon,” Helsinki Airport said in a statement.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said defence forces intensified surveillance before confirming on X that the “danger in Uusimaa is over,” without providing additional information.

Europe as a whole has been on high alert for weeks after drone flyovers into NATO airspace reached an unprecedented scale last September, prompting European leaders to agree to develop a “drone wall” along their borders to better detect, track and intercept drones violating Europe’s airspace.

Read more: Euronews