As of: February 1, 2024, 3:00 p.m
By: Hans Moritz
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Not a demonstration, but winter service: Without farmers from the region, the airport would have to capitulate quickly when it snows.
© Munich Airport / Alex Tino Friedel
Winter service plays an important role at Munich Airport.
We took a look behind the scenes.
Airport - The enormous importance of winter service for Munich Airport became clear on the first Saturday in Advent 2023: so much wet snow fell within a few hours that flight operations had to be stopped.
And in January, freezing rain caused a total failure.
At Moos Airport you are well armed against Ms. Holle.
However, the dimensions are also considerable.
Around 600 employees and many farmers from the region ensure that flight operations can be maintained even in snow and ice, says FMG.
The winter service column includes 178 vehicles, 148 of which are used to clear the aprons and runways, and 30 others for streets, paths and parking areas in public areas, according to the FMG.
There are also 65 tractors from the airport region.
Over 200 emergency services per shift ensure that areas within the airport fence are free of snow and ice.
And there is a lot to do for them: the two runways, aprons and taxiways alone cover around 5.6 million square meters, the equivalent of more than 780 football fields.
Clearing a runway at Munich Airport takes around 30 minutes, according to a spokesman.
In addition to the tractors with snow plows, special vehicles are also used, including 22 blower sweepers, six loading cutters and even a snow groomer.
According to the spokesman, the cleared snow masses will be transported to six specially set up snow dumps.
A total of up to 2.2 million cubic meters of snow accumulates here each season.
An underground collecting basin ensures that the resulting meltwater does not reach the environment.
The snow is mainly cleared away, salt is taboo because of the planes.
If the aprons freeze, de-icing agents and quartz sand are used.
All liquids, emphasizes the FMG, are collected and recycled, meltwater flows into the sewage treatment plant of the Erdinger Moos wastewater association in Eitting.
The aircraft themselves also have to be cleared of snow and ice. This is done by the so-called “polar bears” from the Society for De-Icing and Aircraft Towing at Munich Airport mbH (EFM), which is owned by FMG and Lufthansa.
Up to 15,000 machines are de-iced every winter.
And these funds are also collected and recycled.
But now it has to be cut again.
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