Romanians tried to catch up with a Wizz Air plane on foot in Germany – video

Romanian passengers missed their Wizz Air flight departing from Cologne and decided to try to catch up with it as if it were a bus, taxi, or train. Their actions shocked the authorities, airport staff, and fellow travellers alike.

They were caught on video running towards the Wizz Air aircraft

It’s unclear what went through the minds of these passengers as they sprinted after a Wizz Air plane preparing for takeoff with engines already running at Cologne Airport. The incident, which happened just a few minutes before 9:30 PM, left everyone who witnessed it stunned. The flight was bound for Bucharest, and the two men – aged 28 and 47 – circumvented the security zone by breaking the glass of an emergency exit to get onto the airside area, which is strictly forbidden.

According to a viral video circulating online, the men tried to catch up with the plane, waved at the pilot, and even attempted to persuade an airport employee to allow them on board. Naturally, this was impossible. Soon after, the Federal Police detained them for endangering aviation safety, a serious crime in every country.

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Severe penalties expected

German authorities have launched proceedings against them. While they are unlikely to face jail time, they face hefty fines. According to financial news portal Világgazdaság, the fines could be as high as EUR 28,500 (around 10.8 million Hungarian forints). This is due to their unauthorised presence in the airside area, made worse by being close to operating engines, breaking the emergency exit glass, and triggering a security alarm that could cost up to HUF 2 million. In practice, Világgazdaság estimates each could be fined between HUF 3.3 and 6 million.

The airport statement assured that at no point was aviation safety compromised during the men’s actions. The Wizz Air flight actually arrived in Bucharest earlier than scheduled. Wizz Air and the airport jointly condemned the incident, emphasising that the safety of passengers, staff, and flight crew is the top priority for everyone involved in aviation.

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Here’s a video of their strange stunt:

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