Flights grounded as climate protesters block runway in Germany

One of Germany’s biggest airports has halted all flights after climate activist protesters glued themselves to a runway.

Cologne-Bonn Airport said “unauthorised people” gained access to the airfield on Wednesday morning, leading to all flight operations being suspended as police moved in.

At least four inbound flights have been diverted to nearby Düsseldorf and Hannover airports.

Dozens of flights leaving Cologne Airport have been subjected to delays or cancellations.

The group, Last Generation, said five people had glued themselves to the tarmac.

Last Generation said in a separate statement it was blocking air traffic at the airport and published pictures of its members with his hands glued to the runway.

It said it wants the German government to pursue a global agreement to exit oil, gas and coal by 2030.

The group said “similar peaceful, civil protests at airports” were planned for Wednesday across Europe and North America.

In Finland, protesters were pictured blocking security gates at Helsinki Vantaa Airport.

Elsewhere in Scandinavia, three activists broke the perimeter fence at Oslo’s main Gardermoen Airport on Wednesday morning.

According to Norwegian media, the trio were removed just over 30 minutes after they entered the airport.

Cologne-Bonn is Germany’s sixth-busiest airport – behind Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Berlin Brandenburg, Munich and Frankfurt.

In May, Munich Airport was forced to shut for two hours after six climate protesters glued themselves to a runway.

Eight people were arrested, but the disruption led to 11 flights being diverted and about 60 cancellations, an airport spokesman said.

In the aftermath, Germany’s Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, said security measures at Munich Airport “would be reviewed”.