Two passengers were arrested at Cologne/ Bonn Airport after a desperate attempt to catch their missed flight by breaking through a secure door and sprinting across the active tarmac.
The men, aged 28 and 47, had missed the boarding call for a Wizz Air flight to Bucharest on late Friday evening, November 21.
After gate B70 had closed, they allegedly smashed the glass cover of an emergency alarm at around 9:33 p.m. and used the button to force open a secure door leading to the apron area.
Once on the tarmac, the pair ran towards the Airbus A321, which had already pushed back from the gate and had its engines running in preparation for departure.
They were seen signalling to the pilot in a futile attempt to board the aircraft. Soon, the airport staff intervened, apprehending the men and hanging them over to federal police.
Despite the breach, airport authorities confirmed that aviation security was never compromised and flight operations continued uninterrupted.
The Wizz Air flight departed with only a minor delay and resultantly landed ahead of schedule in Bucharest.
According to German police, the criminal charges for trespassing have been filed against the two individuals
As per a spokesperson, an investigation has been initiated into a possible violation of the Air Security Act is ongoing, highlighting the serious dangers of such actions near operational aircraft.