Scandal at Frankfurt Airport: the federal police throws the Albanian head of government out of a Lufthansa plane

Created: 04/18/2022, 04:51

By: Delia Friess

There was an incident with the Albanian head of government at Frankfurt Airport.

He is referred to a Lufthansa plane.

Frankfurt am Main – FFP-2 masks and surgical masks have been proven to reduce the risk of infection with the corona virus*.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the German airline Lufthansa, with its hub at Frankfurt Airport *, has therefore introduced the obligation to wear a mask on its planes.

In the middle of the fourth corona wave in December 2021, there was a scandal at Frankfurt Airport* in a Lufthansa* machine with a prominent passenger.

This was indicated by Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr in an interview with the news magazine Der Spiegel, but without naming specific names.

At Frankfurt Airport, the Albanian head of government is said to have refused to wear a medical mask on a Lufthansa plane.

(Iconic image) © Boris Roessler / dpa

Frankfurt Airport: scandal in the Lufthansa machine - the head of government is escorted by the federal police

Now the magazine reports that it was probably Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Accordingly, Rama wanted to fly in a Lufthansa crane jet from Frankfurt Airport to Detroit in the USA.

A flight attendant politely asked the head of government to wear the mask.

But when he then refused to wear a medical mask instead of a fabric mask, the captain of the Lufthansa plane was called for help.

Nevertheless, Rama probably could not be persuaded to wear an FFP-2 or surgical mask, as reported by fnp.de *.

This finally led to the federal police being called and Rama being escorted out of the Lufthansa plane at Frankfurt Airport.

Accordingly, Rama was only persuaded to wear a medical mask by persuading an employee of the Federal Foreign Office who was called to Frankfurt Airport.

The delegation was then rebooked on another plane in the USA.

In the Spiegel interview at the beginning of April, Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr supported the Lufthansa crew: There was no preferential treatment.

According to the Spiegel report, the Albanian head of government did not have to pay a fine.

Scandal at Frankfurt Airport: Albanian head of government is thrown out of a Lufthansa plane

His socialist party actually took a tough line during the pandemic.

Rama warned citizens about the virus, sometimes in bulk SMS.

Many Albanians were rightly afraid of contracting the coronavirus, also due to the poor and underfunded health system.

His government has been accused of corruption for years.

Therefore, representatives of the opposition party had resigned their mandate in 2019.

At Frankfurt Airport, the Albanian head of government is said to have refused to wear a medical mask on a Lufthansa plane.

(Iconic image) © Michael Kappeler / dpa

Lufthansa had previously expelled passengers from their machines who refused to comply with the mask requirement*.

According to Lufthansa boss Carsten Spohr, the distance rules and the requirement to wear a mask in Lufthansa machines could already fall in May.

Some airlines have already dropped some corona restrictions*.

However, experts recommend keeping the mask indoors.

The Lufthansa boss expects a seat capacity of 90 percent in the summer.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Frankfurt Airport has been considered a place through which the corona virus can spread throughout Germany*.

Experts still point out that the risk of the emergence of new variants has not yet been averted.

(df)