Munich Airport evacuated its control tower at 8.33pm local time on Tuesday after staff smelled smoke, and flights were temporarily suspended while the building was cleared.

Operations resumed at 10.15pm, but the airport warned passengers to expect delays and disruptions and told them to contact their airline for an update. For travelers trying to get out of Germany’s second-busiest airport, the evening turned into an unpredictable wait, with schedules thrown off at one of Europe’s busiest hubs.

The disruption hit Munich Airport at a time when its runways and terminals normally handle heavy traffic, adding pressure to passengers and airlines alike. The airport did not explain what caused the smell of smoke, leaving the immediate question not about how fast service returned, but about what had triggered the evacuation in the first place.

Even after the tower reopened and flights resumed, the warning about delays suggested the effects would spill well beyond the hour and a half the airport was shut down. For passengers, the practical next step was simple: check with their airline and brace for knock-on disruption into the night.