Europe recently experienced a major alert on May 20, 2026, when Lithuania temporarily closed Vilnius Airport and declared an emergency drone alert. However, NATO fighter jets were deployed along the Belarusian border, but the alert was lifted shortly after residents took shelter. Here’s everything you need to know about NATO fighter jets and European airports.
NATO Fighter Jets Chased Drones
NATO fighter jets are chasing a drone flying over Lithuania, and the capital’s airport has been shut amid fears of drone incursions. The Lithuanian Defence Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, said the drone, which flew to Lentvaris, near the capital Vilnius, is now heading in a different direction.
Europe has issued an air danger warning, suspending traffic at Vilnius International Airport and asking residents to take shelter immediately.
On Tuesday, a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone, which was violating Estonian airspace.
Warning Issued in the Vilnius Parliament Building
A warning has also been issued in the Vilnius parliament building. One of the announcements on parliament’s intercom read, “Due to the risk of air attack, we ask all persons in the building to go to the nearest shelter.”
Earlier, Lithuania’s national crisis management centre said it had issued an alert in response to a drone in neighbouring Belarus that was spotted flying towards Lithuania.
European Airport Shutdown
Vilnius Airport (VNO) was temporarily shut down on May 20, 2026, following an air alert and drone warnings after a suspected unauthorised object approached the border from Belarus.
NATO’s Baltic Air Policing was activated, and citizens in the Baltics were urged to take shelter immediately.
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EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL / MLH): The main runway (15/33) was completely closed from April 15 to May 20, 2026, for refurbishment, leaving operations heavily reduced and restricted to the secondary runway.
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Santiago de Compostela-Rosalía de Castro Airport (SCQ): Shut down completely for 35 days from April 23 through May 27, 2026, for extensive runway renovations.
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Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS): Conducted rolling complete closures on the Zwanenburgbaan runway between May 18 and May 27 for annual asphalt and lighting maintenance.
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Mass Worker Strikes: Germany experienced massive, single-day closures on April 8, 2026, where unions like Verdi grounded 11 major airports, including Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). Similar union disputes are triggering rolling delays across Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland.
Disclaimer: The above information is based on publicly available sources. The Sunday Guardian does not claim anything.
