Climate Activists Disrupt Frankfurt Airport, Causing 140 Flight Cancellations

Climate activists from the Germany-based organization Last Generation (Letzte Generation) disrupted operations at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) on July 25, leading to significant flight cancellations and delays. The protest resulted in at least 140 canceled flights and affected thousands of passengers.

Last Generation initiated their protest early in the morning, issuing a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) that condemned the ongoing extraction and combustion of fossil fuels as a threat to human existence. The group called for a ban on fossil fuels starting in 2030. Photos posted by the organization showed two protesters who had glued themselves to a taxiway at FRA.

According to Flightradar24 data, at least 87 departures and 57 arrivals at FRA were canceled on July 25. Additionally, 52 flights were diverted to other airports in Germany and beyond as the protest continued.

By 7:50 AM local time, Frankfurt Airport resumed operations, as shared in an update on X. However, delays and cancellations persisted throughout the day. Passengers were advised to check their flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport. Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, indicated that 613 departures were scheduled from FRA on July 25, with Lufthansa accounting for 364 of these flights.

This incident at FRA is part of a broader wave of protests by Last Generation, targeting airports across Europe. On July 24, activists attempted or succeeded in entering airfields at various airports, including Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN), Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL), and Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN). While some protesters managed to reach the airfields, others were intercepted before causing significant disruptions. In Zurich (ZRH) and Geneva (GVA), activists blocked roads leading to the airports. Meanwhile, members of the Just Stop Oil group attempted to cut through the fence at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) but were arrested.