Belarus Balloons Close Vilnius Airport November 29

Published on Nov 29, 2025, 9:29 am CST

8 min read

Key points

Lithuania closed Vilnius airport overnight on November 28 to 29, 2025 after radar detected suspected smuggler balloons from Belarus moving toward the field
The shutdown at Vilnius Čiurlionis International Airport affected more than 3,000 passengers, canceling three flights, diverting nine to Kaunas and Riga, and delaying ten more
Lithuanian officials report more than 60 balloon radar tracks in 24 hours and say November brought the most intense wave yet of contraband or meteo balloons
Similar balloons have now been detected over Latvia and officials warn that Riga, Kaunas, and Warsaw hubs could also face temporary airspace restrictions
Lithuania frames the balloon launches as a hybrid attack, is weighing renewed Belarus border closures, and plans to pursue legal action in international courts
Travelers using Baltic hubs are advised to allow extra buffer, consider flexible tickets and overland backups, and monitor local NOTAMs and airline alerts closely

Impact

Where Impacts Are Most Likely: Short notice closures or flow restrictions are most likely at Vilnius airport, with lower but rising risk at Kaunas, Riga, and potentially Warsaw as the balloon pattern spreads
Best Times To Fly: Early morning and midday departures may be marginally safer than late evening banks at Vilnius while airspace managers watch for balloons, but travelers should still assume rolling disruptions
Onward Travel And Changes: Anyone connecting through Vilnius should build longer minimum connection times, be ready for reroutes via Kaunas or Riga, and keep rail or coach options in reserve for last legs
What Travelers Should Do Now: Travelers heading into or out of the Baltics over the next few weeks should track NOTAMs and airline messages, choose flexible fares where possible, and avoid tight same day meetings after arrival
Security And Political Context: Because Lithuanian leaders describe the balloons as a hybrid attack rather than simple smuggling, future closures may reflect political signaling as much as operational safety

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The Belarus balloons Vilnius airport closure on November 28 and 29, 2025, shut the runway at Vilnius Čiurlionis International Airport (VNO), diverted or canceled 22 flights, and disrupted plans for more than 3,000 passengers across the Baltic region. Lithuanian air traffic managers imposed "temporary airspace restrictions" from 2315 on November 28 after radar picked up signatures consistent with contraband or meteorological balloons drifting in from Belarus toward the airport. Operations only resumed around 07:

03 on November 29, leaving overnight travelers with unexpected bus rides, missed connections, and improvised hotel stays.

In practical terms, the Belarus balloons Vilnius airport closure shows that an unusual security tactic, not weather or staffing, is now a structural risk for Baltic air travel, and that the impact can ripple quickly to neighboring hubs like Kaunas, Riga, and Warsaw.

What Happened Overnight In Vilnius

Lithuanian Airports and local media say the latest shutdown began shortly before midnight, when controllers halted arrivals and departures at the capital's main airport after detecting navigation tracks "characteristic of balloons" heading toward the field. Those restrictions were extended multiple times during the night, and airspace over the airport remained closed until around 07:03 on November 29.

According to reporting based on data from the airport authority and the National Crisis Management Center, the overnight suspension affected at least 22 flights. Three flights were canceled outright, nine were diverted to other airports, mainly Kaunas Airport (KUN) and Riga International Airport (RIX), and ten more saw departure or arrival times adjusted. More than 3,000 passengers were caught up in the disruption, and Lithuanian officials say over 1,000 of them had to be moved by bus between Vilnius and Kaunas to complete their journeys.

The head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, described the night as exceptionally tense and said radar systems had logged more than 60 balloon related marks over a 24 hour window, with several still being tracked on the Lithuanian side of the border after dawn.

November's Escalating Balloon Pattern

The overnight closure did not occur in a vacuum. Lithuanian authorities have been dealing with balloon incursions for months, and November has clearly been the most intense period yet.

State and independent outlets report that on November 24 Vilnius Čiurlionis International Airport had to halt operations twice in one day after balloons carrying contraband entered controlled airspace, with officials again counting more than 40 weather type balloons over Lithuanian territory. Latvia's air defense radars, meanwhile, registered over 30 similar tracks, confirming that the campaign had spread to at least one neighboring state.

These incidents followed an October stretch in which Lithuania closed airspace over Vilnius on at least half a dozen occasions, and at one point temporarily shut border crossings with Belarus each time that smuggler balloons were detected. By late October, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė was publicly describing the balloons as part of a "hybrid attack" and warning that Lithuanian forces would shoot them down when possible.

November's surge has hardened that view. Lithuanian and Ukrainian aligned outlets report that authorities now consider this the most intense wave of balloon launches yet, both in terms of the number of aerostats and the scale of disruption to civil aviation and border operations.

How The Smuggler Balloons Work

On paper, officials in Vilnius and Brussels classify most of these devices as "meteorological" or "probe" balloons, but the payloads tell a more specific story.

Investigations by Lithuanian authorities and international media suggest the balloons are typically filled with helium, lofted from Belarusian territory near the border, and equipped with improvised rigs carrying boxes of untaxed cigarettes or other small contraband. The balloons then drift west on prevailing winds until they reach Lithuanian airspace, where smugglers on the ground try to recover whatever payload survives the trip.

However, because these flights are uncontrolled and cross into the same airspace used by commercial traffic, air defense and aviation authorities treat them as genuine hazards. A single large balloon near a final approach path can trigger wide safety margins, especially at a relatively compact airport like Vilnius where sequencing room is limited.

Lithuania also argues that the smuggling cover obscures a more strategic intent. President Gitanas Nausėda and other officials have said that the cigarette trade is "subtext," and that the true goal is to destabilize a NATO and EU member state, with Russia's support, by forcing repeated airport closures and border disruptions.

Spillover Risks For Riga, Kaunas, And Warsaw

For travelers, the most immediate risk is at Vilnius Čiurlionis International Airport, which has already shown that it will shut down overnight or in daytime windows when balloon tracks appear near the runway. But the pattern is no longer confined to that single airport.

Latvian and regional reporting confirms that similar balloons have now been detected in Latvian airspace, prompting air defense alerts and political warnings in Riga. Riga International Airport (RIX), the largest hub in the Baltics and a major base for airBaltic, has not yet experienced a full night closure of the sort seen in Vilnius, but officials acknowledge the risk that an incursion at the wrong time could force them to halt operations while military units clear the airspace.

Kaunas Airport, Lithuania's secondary international gateway, has already absorbed a series of diversions during previous Vilnius closures, and could see similar restrictions if balloons appear near its own runway. Meanwhile, Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), the main hub in nearby Poland, is the logical fallback if both Lithuanian airports face sustained disruption, placing extra pressure on connecting passengers and airlines managing rotations.

Lithuania's government has warned that it may again close parts of its land border with Belarus in response to balloon surges, after a previous closure cut incidents but did not eliminate them. Prime Minister Ruginienė has also said the country will seek action in international courts and has already approached the International Civil Aviation Organization about the risks to civil aviation.

Planning Baltic Trips While Balloon Tactics Persist

Travelers using Vilnius or other Baltic hubs now need to think about redundancy in the same way they would for major winter storms, even though the trigger is political and criminal rather than meteorological.

For flights into or out of Vilnius, the first step is to expect occasional overnight suspensions and to avoid planning critical meetings, weddings, or same day onward travel with no slack immediately after landing. It is prudent to treat at least 24 hours on either side of a known balloon surge as "fragile," particularly if you are arriving on late evening or night banks when closures have been most frequent.

If you are connecting through Vilnius to reach smaller airports or regional cities, consider booking longer connection times than the bare legal minimum, or even breaking the journey with an overnight stop in Riga or Warsaw to regain control of your timing. Baltic rail and coach links, while not a perfect substitute for flights, can bridge gaps between Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga, and Warsaw if a last leg is canceled at short notice.

Flexible or semi flexible tickets are more valuable than ever in this corridor. Airlines serving Vilnius and Riga have already shown a willingness to reroute passengers via Kaunas or other hubs when balloon closures occur, but change fee policies and fare rules will determine how easily you can adjust your plans. Travelers with tight schedules, such as cruise departures from Baltic ports or time sensitive meetings in Vilnius, should weigh the cost of flexible fares against the possibility of a forced overnight delay.

Finally, it is worth monitoring both airline alerts and official notices. Lithuanian authorities have been relatively transparent about closures through the National Crisis Management Center and public broadcasters, and international partners, including United24 and regional media, provide additional context on trends and government responses. Checking NOTAMs and airport advisories on the day of travel will not guarantee a smooth trip, but it can reduce surprises.

As Lithuania escalates its diplomatic and legal pushback, including plans to bring Belarus to international court over these incidents, travelers should assume that the mix of aviation safety decisions and political signaling will continue to affect flight reliability in and out of Vilnius for some time.