Cigarette Smuggling Balloons Disrupt Vilnius Air Traffic

Lithuania's Vilnius airport resumed operations after a suspension caused by balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus. The incident, part of a wider issue disrupting European aviation, halted numerous flights. Smugglers used helium balloons, affecting 6,000 passengers. Some flights were redirected to neighboring countries amid security concerns.

Air travel at Lithuania's Vilnius airport, the largest in the country, was reinstated on Sunday following an unexpected disruption caused by balloons transporting contraband tobacco products from Belarus, according to officials.

European aviation remains unstable with recent drone and airspace violations posing security challenges at major hubs like Copenhagen and Munich. The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) reported that these helium-filled weather balloons, which carried illegal cigarettes, temporarily halted 30 flights, impacting nearly 6,000 travelers.

Authorities detected 25 balloons, including two over Vilnius airport. Of those, seven were intercepted, revealing smuggled 12,000 cigarette packs. The airspace restrictions lifted early Sunday, yet flight schedules experienced ongoing delays due to disrupted aircraft rotations. Vilnius airport highlighted potential delays, as flights were redirected predominantly to Latvia and Poland. Lithuania enforces a no-fly zone along its border with Belarus to curb aerial intrusions from its neighbor, an ally of Russia.

(With inputs from agencies.)