Stowaway in Zurich: Man Hid in Edelweiss Flight to Gran Canaria

Unusual incident at Zurich Airport

What sounds like a bad joke happened on a quiet Wednesday afternoon at Zurich Airport: shortly before the planned departure of an Edelweiss jet to Gran Canaria, the crew discovered an unregistered man on board. The aircraft, an Airbus A320 (Flight WK200), was to depart at 13:25 – it only left around 16:40.

Hidden in the truest sense of the word

The man apparently managed to enter the security area without a boarding pass and to creep into the cabin's WC. Staff noticed unusual noises, went to check and found him. Because he initially did not cooperate with the checks, the cantonal police had to intervene and resolve the situation.

Waiting, questioning, renewed security check

For the other travelers this meant: no punctual departure. Some flicked through travel guides as expected, others took photos of the waiting aircraft at Gate B12, some sat down at the improvised airport coffees and waited. The police questioned passengers and staff, the aircraft was searched completely, and only then could the plane taxi onto the runway – with more than three hours delay.

Consequences for flight operations

The incident had further effects: the return flight from Gran Canaria to Zurich had to be postponed to the next morning according to the airline's confirmation. For vacationers at the other end of the route, that meant a forced pause in hotels or at airports – annoying and expensive.

Not an isolated incident at Zurich Airport

According to an analysis by Swiss media operation, such cases have not been rare in the last year and a half: several documented attempts to board without a ticket were recorded. Airports and airlines emphasize that each such incident is taken seriously – to protect everyone on board.

Whether the intruder had accomplices or how exactly he bypassed the checks is still under investigation. For most travelers, one thing remains in the end: the moment when routine suddenly became police lights and vacation planning took an unexpected pause.