Two travellers have been arrested after attempting to chase down a plane on the tarmac at Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany, having missed their flight. The men, aged 28 and 47, were too late for boarding and tried to flag down the Wizz Air aircraft as it prepared for takeoff to Bucharest, Romania.
According to German police, the gate had already closed when the men smashed the glass of an emergency alarm at 9.33pm to press a button and open the door to the tarmac. The plane, with its flashing red lights on and engine running, was seen taxiing for its scheduled 9.30pm departure.
The two men appeared to signal to the pilot that they wanted to board before an airport employee intervened. The plane departed shortly after and landed as scheduled in Bucharest. Federal police spokesperson Oliver Hünewinckell told German newspaper Bild: “Criminal charges for trespassing have been filed against the men; a violation of the Air Security Act is still being investigated.”
A spokesperson for Cologne Bonn airport confirmed: “Two passengers gained unauthorised access to the apron via an emergency exit after passing through security. The two were apprehended by airport staff and handed over to the Federal Police. Aviation security at the airport was never compromised, and flight operations were not affected.”
