Chaos in the sky: Over 200 travelers land in Hanover after a diversion!

Chaos in the sky: Over 200 travelers land in Hanover after a diversion!

Imagine that you have landed in Berlin after a relaxing holiday on Mallorca, but suddenly you are in Hanover. This is what happened to more than 200 passengers on a Eurowings flight that took off from the popular holiday destination towards the capital on September 10, 2025. Despite a planned arrival in Berlin at 9 p.m., the plane did not have to take off until 10:15 p.m. due to a storm, resulting in a delay of almost four hours. An unexpected ban on night flights in Berlin then caused the plane to be rerouted to Hanover. This reports Focus.

The night flight ban in Berlin, which applies from midnight to 5 a.m., excludes regular scheduled flights, which made the diversion unavoidable. Fortunately, there is no such ban in Hanover, so the plane was able to land there. However, the passengers had to travel the last part of the journey by bus - a journey that took around three hours. It wasn't until Wednesday morning that they finally reached Berlin.

Night flight ban and its consequences

But what does a ban on night flights actually mean for passengers? Such a ban prohibits aircraft from taking off and landing at a certain time, a regulation that is primarily intended to reduce noise in residential areas. Diversion of a flight is necessary if the planned landing falls during the ban period. In this case, the passengers faced several challenges that had to be overcome.

When it comes to a diversion, travelers usually have demands that should not be ignored. This includes the right to alternative transport to the destination, be it by bus, train or taxi. Meals and, if necessary, overnight hotel accommodation are also part of these claims, should the circumstances require it. In addition, passengers can claim compensation of between €250 and €600 if the delay is more than three hours Compensation2go informed. For example, €250 applies to short-haul flights or up to €600 for long-haul flights.

However, there are exceptions, for example in exceptional circumstances such as natural disasters, which could certainly be the case in a storm. Nevertheless, the situation represents an unfortunate situation for the passengers affected, in which the feeling of having to involuntarily continue traveling after a relaxing holiday leads to frustration.

Another example illustrates the topic of night flight bans in Germany. While Berlin is affected from 11:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., different rules apply in Frankfurt am Main - here the airspace is closed from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., and in Munich even until midnight. These regulations vary from airport to airport, and travelers should be more informed to avoid unpleasant surprises.

The event can therefore serve as a warning for future holiday flyers. Anyone who is dependent on fixed periods should prepare well and know the options for compensation. After all, returning from vacation could be quicker and more pleasant if you take the rules and regulations into account in good time.