In its capacity as airport operator, Fraport is legally obliged to perform maintenance, repair and renovation work in order to keep the runway system and all of the taxiways running correctly. It may be necessary to shut down various runways while this work takes place. Temporary runway closures may also be necessary when Fraport renovates adjoining taxiways. 

This work is usually performed at night in order to minimize disruption to flight operations. No aircraft may take off or land on the respective runway during these periods. These shutdowns can cause noise displacement in the area around the airport. Daily updated information on planned runway shutdowns can be found here.

The flight operating hours at Frankfurt Airport run from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. local time. The ban on night flights applies from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., meaning that no scheduled take-offs or landings are allowed during this time.  

During late evening and early morning, i.e. between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. and between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., no more than 133 aircraft movements per night are allowed at Frankfurt Airport averaged over a calendar year.  

However, operations are also restricted in daytime: Aircraft without a noise-reduced ICAO approved noise class are only permitted to fly from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. They are not allowed to take off or land on weekends.  

Landings by aircraft that are forced to approach Frankfurt Airport for meteorological, technical, or other safety-related reasons and take-offs and landings by aircraft in the context of disaster relief or medical aid missions are permitted throughout the night.  

Frankfurt Airport is subject to operating restrictions and restrictions on night flights, including a fundamental ban on scheduled flights between 11:00 p.m and midnight. The following exemptions apply during this time:  

• Aircraft may only take off after 11:00 p.m. if they have a scheduled departure time before 11:00 p.m. and the reason for the delay lies beyond the airline’s control, e.g. thunderstorms or heavy snowfall. In these circumstances, airlines may apply for an individual permit in exchange for a fee. Permits are issued by the Hessian aviation authority on a case-by-case basis. After midnight, such take-offs are prohibited as well.  

• Landings with a scheduled arrival time before 11:00 p.m. do not require an individual exemption to land between 11:00 p.m. and midnight if the delay is not due to the flight schedule in the first place. After midnight, delayed flights must divert to a different airport with no night curfew.  

• Aircraft without the necessary ICAO approved noise class are not permitted to take off during late evening and early morning as defined above, or are only permitted to do so to a limited extent.