Belarus Balloon Incursions Cost Lithuania's Airports Over €750,000
Lithuanian airports are grappling with significant operational and financial disruption caused by repeated balloon incursions originating from Belarus. According to Lithuanian Airports (LTOU), the suspected cigarette-smuggling balloons have disrupted approximately 320 flights since early October 2025, resulting in losses exceeding €750,000. The human impact has been substantial. More than 45,000 passengers were affected during October and November alone—representing approximately 5% of Vilnius Airport’s total passenger traffic over the two-month period. The disruptions intensified dramatically during the final weekend of November, when Vilnius Airport faced consecutive closures. On November 29-30, the airport closed for eight and eleven hours respectively, with the latter representing the longest closure in the airport’s history.