Maltese Travellers Stranded as Copenhagen, Oslo Airports Reopen After Drone Drama

**Maltese Travellers Breathe Easy as Copenhagen, Oslo Airports Reopen After Drone Chaos**

Maltese travellers heading north for their winter getaways can finally exhale after Copenhagen and Oslo airports resumed operations following a dramatic day of drone-related closures that saw flights diverted across Scandinavia.

The disruption, which began early Tuesday morning, forced Malta International Airport (MIA) to scramble as several flights bound for the Nordic capitals were redirected to alternative airports, leaving Maltese passengers stranded and tour operators working overtime to manage the fallout.

Among those affected was the 6:15 AM flight to Copenhagen, popular with Maltese shoppers heading for pre-Christmas bargains in the Danish capital’s famed Strøget shopping district. The flight, operated by a major European carrier, was diverted to Hamburg, leaving 147 passengers – including 23 Maltese nationals – to complete their journey by bus, a gruelling five-hour addition to their travel time.

“This was meant to be our girls’ trip to see the Christmas markets,” lamented Maria Camilleri, 34, from Sliema, who spoke to Hot Malta via WhatsApp from a Hamburg hotel. “We’d planned this for months – Tivoli Gardens, hygge cafés, the works. Now we’re stuck here until tomorrow, and we’ve already lost one day of our four-day trip.”

The drone sightings, which authorities suspect may have been coordinated, come at a particularly sensitive time for Maltese-Nordic relations. December marks the peak of Malta’s winter tourism season, with thousands of Maltese escaping the island’s relatively mild winter for the guaranteed snow and authentic Christmas experiences of Northern Europe.

“December is huge for us,” explains Karl Bonello, manager of Crown Travel Malta, one of the island’s leading tour operators specialising in Scandinavian destinations. “We typically handle around 800 Maltese travellers to Copenhagen and Oslo during the first two weeks of December alone. These aren’t just tourists – they’re people reconnecting with Nordic traditions, visiting family, or seeking that authentic winter experience you simply can’t get in Malta.”

The cultural significance runs deeper than mere tourism. Malta’s longstanding fascination with Nordic culture has grown exponentially in recent years, fuelled by television series, design trends, and the island’s growing community of Northern European expats. The annual Maltese-Nordic Christmas market in Valletta, now in its seventh year, has become a staple of the island’s festive calendar, attracting thousands who’ve developed a taste for Nordic cuisine and crafts.

For the Maltese business community, the disruption highlighted the island’s vulnerability to European aviation bottlenecks. Malta’s Chamber of Commerce expressed concern about the ripple effects, noting that several Maltese entrepreneurs had been scheduled to attend crucial pre-Christmas trade fairs in both cities.

“We’re talking about significant business opportunities,” said Chamber president Marisa Xuereb. “These aren’t just leisure travellers – Maltese businesses rely on these connections for year-end negotiations, supplier meetings, and market expansion. Every hour of delay costs money.”

By Tuesday evening, both airports had reopened, with authorities implementing enhanced security measures including military-grade drone detection systems. The Danish and Norwegian governments have pledged swift investigations, with preliminary reports suggesting the drones may have been part of a coordinated protest against airport expansion plans.

For Malta’s aviation authorities, the incident served as a wake-up call. MIA has announced a review of its own drone detection capabilities, with CEO Alan Borg confirming that the airport would invest in upgraded anti-drone technology by early 2024.

As operations return to normal, Maltese travel agencies are working frantically to accommodate affected passengers, with many offering complimentary excursions to make up for lost time. For Maria Camilleri and her friends, the show must go on: “We’re determined to make the best of it. After all, a bit of extra adventure never hurt anyone – though next time, we might just stick to Gozo for our Christmas shopping!”