If you’re a nervous flyer, this might not be the easiest thing to watch.
Two pilots from Air Berlin, which will cease operations later this month, have been suspended for a dramatic fly-past on the airline’s last long-haul flight into Dusseldorf on Monday.
Footage recorded at the airport on Monday showed the Airbus A330 jet on Flight AB7001 from Miami approaching the runway and then turning sharply to the left; the airline landed on its second approach shortly afterwards.
It is believed that pilot had requested permission from the tower to make a left turn should a go-around be necessary; two pilots on board the aircraft have been suspended as a result.
“In aviation, safety always comes first. We are taking the incident very seriously,” an Air Berlin spokesperson told Reuters, adding that the incident raised questions that had to be answered as part of the investigation.
One of the pilots involved, meanwhile, told German broadcaster ZDF that “we wanted to make a mark, a dignified and emotional goodbye”, while in another video that has surfaced of the incident, a member of control tower staff at the airport can be heard saying “we are all in awe” as the plane flew past.
Air Berlin filed for insolvency in August and will cease operations at the end of this month; Lufthansa has agreed to buy a large part of its operations.
