History of Munich Airport in Timeline
Munich Airport is an international airport serving Munich and the Upper and Lower Bavaria region. Situated 28.5 km northeast of Munich, near Freising, it is named after former Bavarian minister-president Franz Josef Strauss. Its official name, according to the German Aeronautical Information Publication, is Muenchen Airport. It serves as a major aviation hub for the region.
3 hours ago : Munich Airport chaos: Heavy snow strands 500 Lufthansa passengers overnight on grounded planes.
Heavy snow at Munich Airport caused significant disruption, leaving 500 Lufthansa passengers stranded overnight on planes. Passengers were not allowed to deplane, causing discomfort and travel delays. The airport faced closures due to the severe weather conditions.
1978: Franz Josef Strauss as Minister-President
In 1978, Franz Josef Strauss became the Minister-President of Bavaria, supporting the Munich Airport project and promoting Bavaria as an aviation hub.
1988: End of Strauss's Minister-President term
In 1988, Franz Josef Strauss's term as Minister-President of Bavaria ended. He had been a supporter of the Munich Airport project and the promotion of Bavaria as an aviation hub.
May 1992: Terminal 1 Opened
On May 17, 1992, Terminal 1 began operation when Munich Airport opened, and it is subdivided into five modules (A-E).
1994: Airport Hotel Opened
In 1994, the airport hotel, operated by Hilton Hotels & Resorts and designed by architect Helmut Jahn, opened.
1995: Passenger traffic
In 1995, Munich Airport's passenger traffic was under 15 million annually.
1996: U2 terminus opened
In 1996, the opening of the U2 terminus at Feldmoching improved access from Milbertshofen-Am Hart and Feldmoching-Hasenbergl.
1997: Air traffic growth
Between 1997 and 2006, air traffic at Munich grew on average by about 7% per year.
1998: Additional connection completed
In 1998, an additional connection was completed near Neufahrn.
2003: Photovoltaic System Installed
In 2003, a photovoltaic system was installed on the roof of Terminal 2, generating about 445,000 kWh annually.
2003: Garage P20 Opened
In 2003, garage P20 at Terminal 2 opened with 6,400 spaces on eleven levels (four underground).
2003: Preparations began
In 2003, preparations for expansion began soon after Terminal 2 opened.
November 2005: Environmental Management System Certified
Since November 2005, Munich Airport has held a certified environmental management system under ISO 14001 and the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
2005: Garage P20 Surpassed
In 2005, garage P20 at Terminal 2 was surpassed by the car park at Allianz Arena as the largest in Germany.
2006: Air traffic growth
Between 1997 and 2006, air traffic at Munich grew on average by about 7% per year, and capacity at the two existing runways was reported to be exhausted during peak hours.
2006: Passenger traffic doubled
By 2006, Munich Airport's passenger traffic had more than doubled from 1995, reaching over 30 million annually, despite the impact of the September 11 attacks.
2006: Formal planning began
In 2006, formal planning for both projects began.
2007: Planning approval application
In 2007, the Munich Airport operator submitted its application for planning approval.
March 2008: Transrapid project cancelled
In March 2008, the Transrapid maglev train project, intended to connect Munich Airport to München Hauptbahnhof in 10 minutes, was cancelled due to cost escalation.
January 2009: Additional Transfer Level Introduced
In January 2009, an additional transfer level was introduced in Terminal 2 in response to new European Union security requirements, allowing separation of passenger flows.
2010: Construction approved
In 2010, construction of the expansion was approved for Munich Airport.
2010: Extension of the U3
In 2010, the extension of the U3 to Moosach linked Schwabing-West and Neuhausen-Nymphenburg directly to the S1 line.
2010: Flughafentangente Ost opened
In 2010, the north-southbound "Flughafentangente Ost" (airport tangential road east) between A92 and A94 was finally opened with a single lane in each direction.
July 2011: Zoning approval granted
In July 2011, the government of Upper Bavaria granted zoning approval, confirming the need for additional capacity at Munich Airport.
October 2011: Protest in Munich's Marienplatz
On 29 October 2011, a protest was held in Munich’s Marienplatz with an estimated 7,000 participants against the airport expansion.
2011: Plan approval decision
In 2011, the plan approval decision by the government of Upper Bavaria was supported by the airport’s shareholders who argued that the expansion was important for regional transport and the economy.
October 2012: Approval granted for the Neufahrn Link
In October 2012, approval was granted for the Neufahrn Link project.
2012: Local referendum rejected project
In 2012, a local referendum in Munich rejected the expansion project at Munich Airport, leading the city to withhold approval.
2012: Construction began
In 2012, construction began on the expansion project at Munich Airport.
April 2013: Financing agreement signed
In April 2013, a financing agreement was signed for the Neufahrn Link project.
August 2013: Legal challenges dismissed
On 29 August 2013, the Bavarian Administrative Court dismissed legal challenges to the Neufahrn Link project, clearing the way for construction.
November 2013: New Corporate Design
In November 2013, Munich Airport introduced a new corporate design, retaining the stylized "M" but with a different typeface and a colored dash.
2013: Terminal 2 at full capacity
By 2013, Terminal 2 was projected to reach full capacity of about 27.5 million passengers per year.
September 2015: Construction works to connect the airport with regional railway services had started
As of September 2015, construction works to connect Munich Airport with regional railway services of Deutsche Bahn to and from the north-east had started.
2015: Condor announced new long-haul base at Munich
In 2015, Condor announced a new long-haul base at Munich Airport, followed by Transavia opening a base with four aircraft.
2015: 40 million passengers
In 2015, Munich Airport exceeded 40 million passengers for the first time.
2015: Building completed
In late 2015, the expansion building at Munich Airport was completed.
January 2016: Trial Operations for New Building
In January 2016, trial operations began for the new building at Munich Airport.
April 2016: Satellite terminal at Terminal 2 opened
In April 2016, a satellite terminal at Terminal 2 opened.
April 2016: Inauguration and Opening of New Building
In April 2016, the new building at Munich Airport was inaugurated on April 22 and opened for passengers on April 26.
July 2016: One Millionth Passenger
In July 2016, the Terminal handled its one millionth passenger, less than three months after opening.
2016: Eurowings established a base
In 2016, Eurowings established a base at Munich Airport with routes operated by Air Berlin under a wet-lease agreement.
2017: Transavia closed
In 2017, Transavia closed its operation at Munich Airport.
November 2018: Project Completed
In November 2018, the Neufahrner Kurve project to connect Munich Airport with regional railway services of Deutsche Bahn was completed.
December 2018: Direct services to Regensburg and Landshut commenced
By December 2018, the 2.5 km electrified double-track section of the Neufahrn Link was completed, and direct services to Regensburg and Landshut commenced.
December 2018: Flughafenexpress commenced
On December 9, 2018, the new hourly service, Flughafenexpress (airport express) between Regensburg and Munich Airport commenced.
2018: Airport recorded 46.2 million passengers
In 2018, Munich Airport recorded 46.2 million passengers and 413,000 aircraft movements, serving 266 destinations.
December 2019: Letter of Intent Signed
In December 2019, Lufthansa and Flughafen München GmbH signed a letter of intent to expand the facility, with goals of supporting fuel-efficient aircraft and reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.
September 2020: Third runway progress suspended
In September 2020, the Bavarian government halted all progress on the third runway until at least 2028 due to a significant decrease in passenger numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
All figures for 2020 reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Munich Airport.
2020: Relocation planned
In 2020, a relocation of the Bavarian police helicopter unit, which operates five Eurocopter EC135 helicopters and is based at Munich Airport, to Schleißheim Airport was planned.
2021: Road Upgrade Planned
From 2021 onward, the accident-prone "Flughafentangente Ost" road shall be selectively upgraded to two alternating lanes per direction.
2025: Passenger Forecast
A forecast by Intraplan Consult GmbH projected 58.2 million passengers by 2025 for Munich Airport, assuming continued growth.
2030: Carbon neutrality goal
By 2030, Lufthansa and Flughafen München GmbH aim to reach carbon neutrality at the airport.
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