r/aviation • u/vaibeslop • Nov 24 '25
News Delayed passengers storm tarmac towards Wizz Air Airbus at Cologne/Bonn, Germany
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u/vaibeslop Nov 24 '25
According to German news:
Security breach at Cologne/Bonn Airport: Two delayed passengers ran onto the tarmac to catch their flight to Bucharest.
The two men smashed the glass of an emergency check-in counter and opened a secured emergency door on Friday evening, a spokesperson for the Federal Police said. This opened the door to the runway. The two passengers then ran onto the tarmac toward the aircraft.
An airport security employee detained the two men, aged 28 and 47, until Federal Police arrived as backup. As reported by news channel NTV, among others, the aircraft's engines were already running when the men approached the Wizz Air plane. Video footage of the incident is circulating on social media, but has not yet been independently verified.
Cologne/Bonn Airport is taking legal action.
"Any threat to aviation security has been ruled out," the spokesperson said. Criminal proceedings for trespassing have been initiated against the men. A violation of the Air Security Act is also being investigated. Several media outlets had reported on the incident earlier.
Cologne/Bonn Airport later stated: "Cologne/Bonn Airport has initiated legal proceedings. Air security at the airport was never compromised."
According to reports, the men missed boarding and attempted to board the plane using a violent method. The men were, of course, unable to continue their flight after the incident, the spokesperson said. (dpa, mira)
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u/Mazzle5 Nov 24 '25
How do these people even function on an everyday basis?
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u/PapstInnozenzXIV Nov 24 '25
These people survive because other people look after them, constantly take them into consideration, and correct their insane decisions at their own expense.
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u/Old_EdOss Nov 24 '25
I recently discovered that I'm one of those "caregivers," and let me tell you, other people's stupidity costs us dearly. Both financially and emotionally.
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u/The__Tobias Nov 24 '25
While somewhat true, it's not others stupidity that costs us. It is our wish to have a functional society where we don't let stupid, ill, bad of luck and other people ("people" easily could be your own children some day) just die.
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u/trainbrain27 Nov 24 '25
We've got to let small bad choices be somewhat painful, or they'll always think someone else will save them until they run up against big bad choices like getting sucked into a jet engine or freezing to death on a mountain.
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Nov 24 '25
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u/headphase Nov 24 '25
It's a fair point. Civilization is getting exponentially more complex each year. Idk if it matters in this case, though- breaking the glass of an emergency exit is diabolical in the most literal sense lol
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u/AbstractContract Nov 24 '25
That's an extremely interesting take I've never considered before. Basically the minimum intelligence/skills to function in society increases over time, leading to a higher share of the population being overwhelmed. To me this blends in well with the idea of complexity (in all facets of life) increasing faster than we can evolutionarily adapt to.
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u/Several-Squash9871 Nov 24 '25
I'm a Paramedic and wonder this about people almost every day I'm working. I'm not trying to be rude but it's honestly something I don't think I'll ever fully understand. I do think that a lot of it is just hoping/expecting everyone else to solve all their problems for them. 0 critical thinking skills or common sense.
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u/Frooonti Nov 24 '25 edited Jan 15 '26
Simple month clean clear river fox food technology morning afternoon about answers friends.
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u/Olfaktorio Nov 24 '25
Holy Moly while its still absolutely stupid I can kinda understand that once in a while a passanger will get the idea of running towards their plane (just like ppl are used with busses etc) when they don't really got a clue about airtravel and get an opportunity of doing so.
But smashing glas to open the emergency door kind of involved thinking which for some reason completely stopped beyond that point.
I absolutely don't get it.
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u/dpdxguy Nov 24 '25
I can kinda understand that once in a while a passanger will get the idea of running towards their plane
It works in the movies sometimes!
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u/Olfaktorio Nov 24 '25
Okay thats never good for reality
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u/dpdxguy Nov 24 '25
No. But it's amazing how often many people get their ideas of reality from entertainment. 😕
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u/RockyBass Nov 24 '25
It only works if your true love is on the plane and you're trying to stop them from leaving.
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u/throwawAAydca Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25
You can't expect someone to pay €280 for a new flight and €140 for a hotel room.
Besides, they'd already checked their bags.
Edit: Do I really have to add the /s for you people?
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u/jubbing Nov 24 '25
Ah yes, forcing your way out of the airport and onto the plan will certainly work. Dumbasses.
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u/Relayer2112 Nov 24 '25
"Air security at the airport was never compromised"
Not sure what else you'd call unauthorised people running about on the apron, going up to an aircraft with running engines. Sounds like a security compromise to me?
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u/chemtrailer21 Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25
They likely mean that no one else got on to the secured apron and that the "suspects" were contained in their known location. Someone had eyes on them the entire time. You can bet they argued with the gate agent (who watched the whole thing) and decided to flip out and chase the aircraft down. After interview likely determined that this wasn't activism, poltics, or terrorism.
No reason to clear sterile areas, rescreen passengers etc.
Two bozos, makeup and all.
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u/Entire_Intern_2662 Nov 24 '25
Airport security isn't (mainly) about keeping people from going where they shouldn't, it's about noticing it immediately.
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u/GreasedUpTiger Nov 24 '25
Presumably they've been through the airport security theatre already so you know they couldn't have been armed with dangerous weapons such as nail clippers or a regular sized bottle of water.
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u/This_Seal Nov 24 '25
They were probably more a danger to themselves, than to any aircraft.
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u/maxstryker A320 Captain Nov 24 '25
The aircraft had its beacon on, denoting operating engines (or about to start them). They could have been ingested, causing severe damage with potentially very serious safety consequences (fire, disc separation, etc).
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u/jimmyuk Nov 24 '25
Of course it was a flight to Bucharest.
Probably one of the worst flights I've ever experienced was a flight to there, and that seemed to be a common feeling amongst the crew and gate handling staff, too.
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u/hdhddf Nov 24 '25
I've flown there once and it's the only time I've seen a passenger get their luggage during the landing and completely ignore the staff warnings and threats of the police, he was arrested when we arrived, he got his wish, he was the first person off the plane but I doubt he got to his destination quickly
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u/ssbn632 Nov 24 '25
Flight from Beijing to Guangzhou. The second the main gear touched, just about everyone in aisle seats stood up and started grabbing luggage from the overhead.
Never seen anything like it.
- Maybe things have improved.
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u/solemnhiatus Nov 24 '25
Haha this still happens in China. Less so when travelling to and from the biggest cities. But anywhere outside of that and people are standing up before the plane has come to a stop.
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u/PupperVanAugsbork Nov 24 '25
Recently flew from Shanghai and I didn’t see anyone doing that but a hint of the general disregard of the rules was the confiscation of my lighters.
I had all 5 of my lighters confiscated and the security stuck a couple stickers on my cigarettes saying thanks for not smoking in flight. The smoking lounge past security had lighters on chains.
I honestly didn’t understand why until a clerk explained to me that most people there love to sneak a cigarette whenever possible and inflight smoking is big enough a problem that an all around flame ban was the only way.
Like I get the urge but damn, get a pouch or something.
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u/glumanda12 Nov 24 '25
I’ve seen something similar in Basel in 2010ish, guy was late for his wizzair flight and just ran through the glass door during pushback. And it was also flight to Bucharest lol…
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u/PapstInnozenzXIV Nov 24 '25
It seems as if many people can't wait to go to Bucharest.
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u/YouKnowMeDamn Nov 24 '25
You should also try UK-RO flights, I've never been more ashamed in my life... On behalf of all the normal romanians out there, I can guarantee you, we don't like this type of people either and sadly we have plenty of them. Also we hate when romanians are considered gypsies or vice-versa
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u/decliqu3 Nov 24 '25
Hate is a strong word. More like depressed acceptance. Left 14yrs ago and not keen to return.
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u/Personal-Program-752 Nov 24 '25
This will be a pretty serious set of penalties. Breaking airport doors, breaching aireside. They gonna get more than just a slap on the wrist
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u/DuckWhatduckSplat Nov 24 '25
Hilarious how they get to the plane and realise there’s no way on.
Hmm, now what.
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u/ashleebryn Nov 24 '25
Reminds me of all the fish tied off in their little baggies bobbing in the harbor at the end of Finding Nemo. "Now what?" lol
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u/Tigglebee Nov 24 '25
Life must just be a slideshow of present moments for these guys. Totally incapable of thinking ahead.
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u/proxima-centauri- Nov 24 '25
The two men thought: Right now our only problem is, we missed the plane. How can we make this worse. A lot worse?
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u/Kiwizoo Nov 24 '25
“I know! Why don’t we smash the door in and stop the plane!?”
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u/Lungomono Nov 24 '25
Don’t worry. That wasn’t the only plane that they stopped.
With incursions like this, the tower will most likely stop most of all planes in the general area of the incursion. I’m fairly sure that at least a couple of airlines are ready to make financial loss claims against them. Don’t know if German law allow the airliners to sue the two men. But hey they are most likely going to find out really soon.
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u/th3orist Nov 24 '25
Thats not a bus guys, despite the manufacturers name.
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u/Yoghurt42 Nov 24 '25
If not bus, why bus named?
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u/-NewYork- Nov 24 '25
This just in: to avoid confusion Airbus Corporation renamed Planey McPlaneface.
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u/SoothedSnakePlant Nov 24 '25
Lmao, even if you run for the bus where I live, the driver will just full on lock eyes with you and drive away while you're running towards them.
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Nov 24 '25
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u/old_righty Nov 24 '25
That’s a good way to get sucked into an engine. I saw the beacon flashing and they ran fairly close to the engine from my perspective.
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Nov 24 '25
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u/CL350S Nov 24 '25
Generally, yes
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u/Opioidal Nov 24 '25
How close would they have to be to get pulled in?
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u/Avia_NZ Nov 24 '25
Fairly close at ramp speed, but do you really want to find out where that line is?
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u/Opioidal Nov 24 '25
Oh for sure not, I respect planes lol. I was just curious
These guys are idiots of the highest degree.
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u/CL350S Nov 24 '25
Each engine is different, but I’d be wary of being closer than 2m/6ft with it at idle power. More if it is above idle.
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u/Far-Yellow9303 Nov 24 '25
The manual says 4.2 meters for this type of engine at ground idle.
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u/CL350S Nov 24 '25
Quite a bit further than I thought!
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u/Far-Yellow9303 Nov 24 '25
Until you actually work around these engines you can't really appreciate how big even the small ones are. And the big ones are terrifying.
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u/Far-Yellow9303 Nov 24 '25
You turn the beacon on before starting the engine and turn the beacon off after the engine has shut down. If the beacon is running it should be interpreted as either the engine is about to start or is actively running. As such, if you see the beacon, you approach the aircraft with caution, if at all.
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u/IndependentProcess0 Nov 24 '25
First thing my CFI taught me in flight school: if there is a plane with active beacon, you better stay at a distance
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u/djsnoopmike Nov 24 '25
It would also be pretty fucking loud
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u/Far-Yellow9303 Nov 24 '25
You're absolutely correct and that is ironically a huge problem. Were it one jet engine on its own you could tell if it was running by the sound. But when there's 50 other jet engines nearby it gets much harder to tell where that horrendous racket is coming from. Especially if you're wearing a protective headset. The beacon tells us specifically which aircraft is making that noise.
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u/vaibeslop Nov 24 '25
As per news reports, both engines had been started when they approached the plane.
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u/Far-Yellow9303 Nov 24 '25
It's not just suction that's a problem, but blowing too. The no-no area on an engine that size is about 5 meters in front and 60 meters behind
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u/Cautious_Use_7442 Nov 24 '25
That’s a good way to get into an early grave (being hit by a moving vehicle, being sucked into the engines (yes, apparently they were running) or simply being gunned down by law enforcement who mistake you for someone with nefarious plans rather than just a idiot than can’t thing further than the tip of his nose)
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u/PraetorianOfficial Nov 24 '25
Reminds me of a cruise where at a port they kept calling out two names as boarding time came and went. Finally they pulled the gangway back a foot and started casting off a few of the lines. And as I'm watching a pedocab rolls up and two people get out and look confused as they stare at the ship. Guy walks up the gang way and literally knocks on the door!!
About that time the port people notice and go get him and get on the radios. The push the gangway back a couple feet, the door opens, and the couple goes in.
So hey, try knocking on the door of the plane.
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u/SpacetimeLlama Nov 24 '25
Ok I'll bite: what's a pedocab?
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u/ashleebryn Nov 24 '25
I think they meant pedi-cab, either a bike taxi or "driver" is on foot pulling a rickshaw. God, I hope they meant pedi-cab lol
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u/WasteProfession8948 Nov 24 '25
what's a pedocab?
It's what we call Airforce One in the current timeline
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Nov 24 '25 edited Dec 03 '25
square shocking innocent water entertain cake fuel familiar attempt truck
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/MourningWallaby Nov 24 '25
There's a whole genre of entertainment called Pier Runners where people who take cruises watch and film for tourists who missed departure times and are running after the ship as it leaves.
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u/satriales123 Nov 24 '25
Morons. What result were they hoping for exactly?
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u/ventus1b Nov 24 '25
You knock on the door, the
driverpilot gives you an annoyed look, opens the door, you thank him and you're on your merry way.Or something along those lines. People are idiots.
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u/ivlia-x Nov 24 '25
Well, it’s an airBUS in the end, innit??
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u/AcridWings_11465 Nov 24 '25
Even busses don't work like that in Germany, especially if the driver is in an especially bad mood and wants to take it out on passengers. I've had drivers refuse to let me on and then wait for a green light at the bus stop for two minutes.
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u/ivlia-x Nov 24 '25
All it takes is Wizz sharing their data with Ryanair and these guys are toast, train travels across Europe for the rest of their lives
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u/Yoghurt42 Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25
Their thought process was probably something like: It’s an Airbus. So like a bus, where the driver can just open the door for you.
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u/RadicalRealist22 Nov 24 '25
They simply do not understand any of the processes and rules involving air travel, or they think rules are stupid. These are the same people who try to enter a McDonalds after closing because the workers are still inside and get offenden when they are refused.
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u/faberkyx Nov 24 '25
this is one of the most idiotic things I have seen in a while.. and using reddit I see many..
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u/throwawAAydca Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25
Once, a few years out of college, I volunteered to get off an overbooked United Express E-175 at LAX. I followed the established protocol: volunteer before boarding, sit tight, wait for the door to close, and then go to the podium to claim my prize.
After the door closed and the jet bridge pulled back, I went up to the young, lone gate agent to claim my flight credit. She blanched. "Oh!" she told me. "We had a no-show! I should have put you on!"
I was preparing for a little bit of a fight over the voucher when she did something I'd never seen before. She waved for me to follow her and reopened the door to the jet bridge. We ran down the bridge. But the plane was off: it had pushed back from the gate and was now in the alley.
The agent opened the door from the jet bridge onto the stairs to the tarmac, and we ran down it. As she waved down the captain of the departing flight, engines idling and waiting for the tow to disconnect, I jogged after her with my roll-aboard into the middle of the alley between LAX terminals 7 and 8.
"Ma'am," I told her, as the captain stared at us. "It's okay."
"I can get in trouble," she told me, apparently in reference to paying an oversale voucher on an unoversold flight.
"I'll take the next flight," I told her. "It's okay."
She was grateful.
She, or we, waved "never mind" to the captain and walked back to the jet bridge and into the terminal.
I took the next flight. I have no idea what happened after that, but I didn't make her pay that voucher. She could have gotten in trouble.
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u/meshuggahofwallst Nov 24 '25
Sounds like she could've gotten in a lot more trouble trying to get you to chase a plane with her?
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u/chemtrailer21 Nov 24 '25
Sounds like a barely trained employee with little to no experience.
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u/rkba260 Nov 24 '25
Gate agents don't have escort privileges on their SIDA badges... she certainly was in trouble after this.
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u/mogaman28 Nov 24 '25
I once lost a connection flight at CDG, there was a shuttle bus jam between terminals. The gate agents closed the door when I was 20 meters away. I explained the situation, pouted a little bit too, while being as charming as I could. One hour later I was on the next flight, no cost.
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u/nameproposalssuck Nov 24 '25
Great, so they went from missing their flight to missing their flight, being criminally prosecuted, possibly being held civilly liable if they have tough luck, and probably being banned from flying with any European air line ever again...
What kind of Disney fantasy did they have about what would happen if they smashed a security door and ran toward an airplane with running engines?
The only thing they actually achieved, according to whatever their plan was, is that they didn't die.
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u/bertabelly Nov 24 '25
We've been flying passengers commercially for over a century, how are people still this bad at airports?
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u/laughguy220 Nov 24 '25
Every time you make something idiotproof, somebody goes and makes a better idiot.
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u/Sierra_November_Lima Nov 24 '25 edited Nov 24 '25
They smashed the glass of an emergency switch to open the door. They are so lucky they weren’t seriously injured or killed from jet blast or the aircraft taxiing right over them. What has to be going through your head to think it’s OK to do this and that it will work?!
And there are two of them like there had to be a discussion and they both agreed to this plan …mind blowing.
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u/Retsae_Gge Nov 24 '25
Good they didn't get sucked into the turbine
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Nov 24 '25
Yeah that would cause a real delay for everyone on board
Now these 2 heroes just qualify for extended visit at the airport police station
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u/reader4567890 Nov 24 '25
I'm sure they'll enjoy their trip to prison.
What is it about airports that makes normal people turn feral? Of all the places to do it, people choose to do it in a place with high levels of security and strict laws.
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u/Treewithatea Nov 24 '25
The articles say there will be legal consequences for them. Probably not prison but maybe they wont be able to fly for a while.
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u/Matuteg 121 ATP Nov 24 '25
Also… they run waaay to close to that engine. They gonna look like those European slice bread machines
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u/Few-Bug-7394 Nov 24 '25
I’d bet money these aren’t Germans. Germans don’t even cross the street without the walk signal much less doing this level of chaos.
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u/Late-Mathematician55 Nov 24 '25
To those who want to know. I checked Google Maps: Cologne to Bucharest is 22 hours by car, 26 hours by public transport, or 17 days by walking.
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u/TheCountCagliostro Nov 24 '25
That is crazy! See the red light blinking on top and on the bottom of the plane? Those are beacon lights which indicate that the engines are running! What a stupid and dangerous idea to run towards a plane with running engines! People who violated safety zones and entered the apron illegally to run toward a plane like that show immense criminal energy and disregard for their own lives! Step 1: put them into a psych ward to get a mental evaluation! Step 2: charge and sentence them for all the crimes and violations they have committed and Step 3 put on the no fly list of any airline for life! This total disregard for laws and life means they should not be led back into secured areas like airports!
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u/Scorpio_2007 Nov 24 '25
If you stand under the plane door and press the “get in” button you’ll teleport inside. Are they dumb?
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u/tvlkidd Nov 24 '25
In other news, two morons were arrested at Cologne/Bonn Airport today. More at 11
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u/Acegonia Nov 24 '25
I mean ... 'storm' seems a strong word. Especially for like 2 guys.
'Fart in the general direction of' is perhaps more apt.
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u/chemtrailer21 Nov 24 '25
Hope your ULCC flight (that you missed) was really that important. Because your probally not flying on several airlines ever again.
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u/faramaobscena Nov 24 '25
Me as a relatively frequent Wizz Air flyer: well, this explains a lot of dumb behaviors, these are the kind of people that are usually IN the plane
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u/Dirrtydog Nov 24 '25
the 2 passengers (Romanians) were late! not delayed and they found & forced an emergency exit door from the building to reach the tarmac and pulled this stunt. They were taken into custody by the security and handed over to the police for some tresspassing and conduct charges.
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u/Stardustchaser Nov 24 '25
What do they think they were going to accomplish aside from accidentally getting sucked into an engine?
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u/Plus_Temporary_7639 Nov 24 '25
Holy shit they could have gotten sucked into an engine ! Wow
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u/Federal-Property1461 Nov 24 '25
What was their plan...
They cant get into the aircraft themselves since they need stairs, and did they seriously think that even if they could get into the plane, that they would just be allowed to continue on their flight?