Overview
- A technical warning delayed Condor flight DE1809's departure from Olbia until 22:39, creating a more than two-hour setback that the crew then tried to recover in flight.
- Pilots increased speed over the Mediterranean and Alps and began final approach with the runway in sight, but flight‑tracking data show the jet was about 300 metres above ground a few kilometres out at roughly 23:59.
- Frankfurt air traffic control denied landing permission at the midnight cutoff that applies to delayed arrivals, the crew aborted the approach and turned toward Cologne/Bonn.
- The Airbus A320 (registration D‑ASGE) landed at Cologne/Bonn around 00:30 and Condor arranged buses to return about 180 passengers to Frankfurt.
- Reporting combined Condor statements with independent tracking data to verify the timing, and no injuries or regulatory actions have been reported so far while the incident highlights operational limits of Frankfurt’s 23:00–05:00 night‑flight rules.