SAS diverted a Copenhagen-Vilnius service back to Denmark on Saturday after Vilnius Airport briefly closed over a suspected drone alert. The disruption affected 39 passengers, while NATO Baltic Air Policing aircraft were scrambled and the Lithuanian capital’s airport reopened shortly before 10:00 local time once the warning was lifted.
Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre acted after public reports of a possible airborne object near Vilnius, but the object was never confirmed. Residents in the area were told to be prepared to seek shelter if needed, and local reporting later indicated there was no confirmed air threat.
The temporary closure lasted less than an hour, but it still forced knock-on changes across a short-haul European schedule, including the SAS return flight and delays for other services at the airport. SAS was in contact with affected passengers and worked on alternative routings to get them to their destinations. The episode underscored how quickly suspected drone activity can trigger airport restrictions, military response and disruption to commercial traffic.