Dresden Airport runway shut after rabbit strike delays flights

A field hare struck a landing aircraft at Dresden Airport on the evening of 12 July, prompting safety crews to clear the animal and inspect the runway. The incident forced a temporary closure of the runway, sending three inbound flights into a holding pattern for about 30 minutes while the runway was cleared and checked. After the inspection confirmed no damage to the aircraft, the runway was reopened and normal traffic resumed.

The disruption affected flights from several cities, including a Cessna from Hannover, a Vueling A321 from Barcelona and a Swiss A220 from Zürich, which were temporarily rerouted or held until the runway became operational again.