A Boeing 737-800 from Transavia was preparing for departure from Innsbruck to Eindhoven on Wednesday when an unidentified individual approached the aircraft.
Flight HV6686 was on the taxiway, ready to enter the runway, when a shirtless man was spotted on the airfield. Later, Innsbruck Airport stated that ‘an individual somehow gained access to the airport premises and was stopped by airport staff on the runway. He was checked and detained until police officers arrived.’
The man was arrested by police in the grass next to the runway. ‘The investigation into the cause of the incident is currently ongoing,’ stated the Austrian airport. Due to the incident, the runway was closed for nearly twenty minutes.
Flight data shows that the Boeing 737, registration PH-HSG, taxied onto the runway but exited at the next turnoff. The aircraft then taxied back via the apron to its departure position and took off around 2:15 PM toward Eindhoven. Despite the delay, the flight landed ten minutes ahead of schedule.
Missed flight
Unauthorized individuals gaining access to airport grounds is a rare occurrence. In some cases, it involves passengers who missed their flight and are desperate to board at any cost.
A notable incident happened in 2023 at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, where two men forcefully entered a jet bridge after narrowly missing their flight. The men sat at the end of the passenger bridge, and one of them even jumped off, making his way toward a pushback truck already connected to the aircraft. He climbed onto the vehicle and sat near the nose wheel, while his companion remained at the bridge’s end. Their actions caused over an hour of delay for the flight to Tel Aviv. Security removed both individuals from the tarmac, and they were subsequently arrested by Turkish police.