Nuremberg Airport Reopens After Corendon Flight Hijack Code False Alarm

Germany’s main regional hub in Bavaria reopened on Tuesday after a Corendon Airlines flight triggered a hijack‑alert transponder code, prompting the scramble of two Eurofighter jets, a temporary airport shutdown and the diversion of several inbound services.

Sequence of events from take‑off to landing

How the false alarm unfolded

International aviation standards assign code 7500 to “unlawful interference,” a signal that usually indicates a hijacking.

In response, two Eurofighter jets from the German Air Force intercepted the aircraft and escorted it through German airspace to Nuremberg.

Upon landing, airport police conducted a full inspection of the cabin, cockpit and communication equipment. Rus Tourism News reported that investigators quickly concluded there was no danger to passengers or crew. Corendon Airlines later explained that a “temporary radio‑communication malfunction” while the plane was in Croatian airspace had inadvertently triggered the emergency signal.

Separate drone reports add to the day’s turbulence

Earlier that morning, between approximately 02:00 and 04:00, three pilots independently sighted an unidentified object near the runway. Police deployed a helicopter and searched the perimeter, but the object was never located or identified. Airport officials stressed that the drone‑sighting remained unverified and that no link to the later hijack‑code incident had been established.

Operational impact on flights and passengers

Road access to the airport was closed, and all departing and arriving services were suspended pending clearance. Six flights were delayed, including two inbound and four outbound services. Two arriving aircraft were initially diverted to Cologne Bonn Airport and Prague Airport before being rerouted back to Nuremberg.

Other airlines rerouted flights to larger hubs such as Frankfurt, Munich, Memmingen and Stuttgart, adding a ripple effect across the German domestic network. Passengers were advised to check directly with their carriers, as the lifting of the airport’s restrictions did not automatically restore original departure times.

International coverage highlights the incident’s reach

The alarm and subsequent response were also mentioned in the Australian financial daily African Financial Review, which noted that “Germany scrambles fighter jets after airline radio glitch sends false hijack alert.”

Wider context: drone threats and airport security upgrades

Germany has recorded a series of drone‑related alerts in recent months, including a temporary shutdown at Munich Airport earlier this year. In response, the federal government announced plans to bolster airport protection through improved detection technology and tighter coordination between civil aviation authorities and the military.

What to watch next

• Formal investigation reports on the radio‑communication malfunction that caused the transponder code to be sent.

For travelers scheduled through Nuremberg Airport in the coming days, the immediate message is clear: the airport has resumed normal operations, but residual schedule adjustments may still affect individual itineraries. Airlines continue to advise passengers to monitor their flight status directly with carriers, as the airport works to normalize traffic and clear the backlog created by the brief but intense security episode.