Munich's commercial airport was a bridgehead for 24 hours on May 19, 1965. Forty-one mostly four-engine airplanes and several thousand passengers built a football airlift between Riem and London for the European Cup match.

Never before have so many passengers and machines had to be handled in the “airport” of the state capital in one day. Around 4 a.m., the first football fans occupied the airport with tired faces. From 5 a.m. they arrived in large flocks, with rolled up flags, stuffed lions of all sizes, trumpets, film and photo comercs slung around their necks, and occasionally even with drums. The first machines were made ready to go. Their silver hulls and wings glistened dull in the drizzle.

At 5:06 a.m., the first four-engine thundered down the runway and eight minutes later the second bird took off. Around 11 a.m. the vanguard planes came back to take off again on their London course. More and more planes came together on the apron, until finally a whole air fleet had gathered. Since the German air travel companies had no machines left due to the tourist boom, airplanes had to be chartered from all over Europe for the airlift. An international fleet (British United, Dan Air, Braathens, Air Ferry, Trans-air, Caledonian, Globair, Saturn etc.) was ready to start in Riem. Charter planes had flown from Norway, Sweden and even from the USA for the big soccer trek to Munich; including the following types: DCe4, DC-6B, DC-7, DC-7C, “Bristol Britannia”, “Are gonaut”, “Ambassaclor”, “Constenation” and “Handley Page”. From 7 a.m. onwards, things started to happen in quick succession. Twenty planes rolled to the runway and took off at intervals of only three and four minutes. In between, of course, there are also the early scheduled services. The business purred like clockwork. Air traffic control and the traffic department of the airport carried out an exact general staff work. After all, there were 40 special football flights and over 3800 passengers. The airport has passed a kind of baptism of fire. In spite of the now very cramped conditions, the almost 4,000 passengers on the special flights were able to be handled smoothly in addition to the passengers on the normal scheduled service. However, apart from their trophies and mascots, the football strollers had no luggage, so the conditions were very favorable.

Between noon and 2.30 p.m., the airport was again very busy, similar to the open day. The only difference is that it wasn't about onlookers, but about passengers. The second big swing started peacefully towards England. Shortly afterwards the daily meeting of the EuropoJets was on the program. After the jets, planes and the various connecting machines had started again, Riem got a short break. A few thousand passenger cars stood abandoned in the large parking lots in front of the airport building, as if walled in. Even the most resourceful could no longer find a gap. In the early hours of the morning around 1 a.m., a lot of maneuvering began in these places. The first machines came back on the airlift and everyone wanted to be the first on course to their home bed.

The Munich Airport thus set its first passenger record. 8,071 passengers were counted on May 10, and 8,632 passengers on May 20 - the usual number of passengers in 1965 was 5000 passengers at Munich Airport per day.