Vilnius Airport Reopens After Brief Shutdown Over Suspected Balloons

Overview

• Operations resumed at 19:32 local time after restrictions were lifted, according to the airport’s announcement.
• The airport halted traffic at 18:06 local time after detecting unauthorized objects resembling balloons or meteorological sondes, a TASS-cited air traffic source said.
• Seven passenger flights were diverted to Riga and Kaunas or sent back to their points of departure during the closure, the source said.
• The interruption follows a series of similar stoppages, with at least 20 since early September and two on December 3, by TASS’s count.
• Lithuania’s airspace users were warned about possible unauthorized meteorological aerostats used for contraband, reportedly capable of flying up to 5 km high, about 20 nautical miles, and carrying packages of up to roughly 30 kg.