Flughafen München-Riem

The airport was closed and replaced because it had reached its maximum capacity and could not be expanded. It was located close to the city center and completely surrounded by residential areas, which caused significant noise pollution and prevented the construction of new runways or terminals required to handle the rapidly increasing passenger and cargo traffic.

The site has been completely redeveloped into a new urban district called 'Messestadt Riem'. The former airport grounds now host the new Munich Trade Fair Centre (Messe München), the Riem Arcaden shopping center, extensive residential and commercial areas, hotels, and a large public park (Riemer Park) which was the site of the 2005 Bundesgartenschau (Federal Garden Show). A few original airport buildings, such as the control tower ('Tower') and the historic arrivals hall ('Wappenhalle'), have been preserved as historical monuments and integrated into the new development.

Opened on October 25, 1939, it served as Munich's primary international airport until 1992. It was a key hub for Lufthansa and handled all civil aviation for Southern Germany. The airport is infamous for the 'Munich Air Disaster' on February 6, 1958, where a plane carrying the Manchester United football team ('Busby Babes') crashed on takeoff, killing 23 people. It also served as the main gateway for athletes and visitors during the 1972 Summer Olympics. After World War II, it was briefly operated by the US Air Force before being returned to German authorities. By its final full year in 1991, it was handling over 11 million passengers, far exceeding its original design capacity. Its historical ICAO code was EDDM and its IATA code was MUC, both of which were transferred to the new airport.

None. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land has been permanently and completely re-purposed. The original runways, taxiways, and most terminal buildings were demolished in the 1990s to make way for the new Messestadt Riem district.