Chancellor Angela Merkel's Airbus Made an Emergency Landing on the Way to the G-20
A German Air Force Airbus A340 carrying Chancellor Angela Merkel made an emergency landing on Thursday in Cologne, after experiencing unspecified "electrical problems" on the way to Argentina. Merkel will miss the opening ceremony of the G-20 summit of the 20 most industrialized nations as a consequence.
According to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the captain decided to turn around one hour after takeoff from Berlin because "electrical systems had failed after technical problems." The four-engined Airbus was met on the runway by fire department trucks. Neither Merkel nor any other occupants were reported to be injured. According to media reports, the plane had left Berlin at 7pm and landed at 9pm.
The chancellor will continue to Argentina on the German Air Force's other A340 VIP transport. The A340 involved in the incident has the German military registration 16+01 and bears the name of Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of newly democratic Germany after World War II. Adenauer led then-West Germany from 1949 until 1963.
The plane used to fly for German carrier Lufthansa, with the registration D-AIGR and bearing the name of the city of Leipzig. It was taken off service in 2009 after 10 years of commercial flying and parked, before being bought by the air force in 2011 and adapted for VIP transport. The A340 was the first true long-range airplane produced by the European planemaker, and competed head to head with the Boeing 777, ultimately going out of production when the US-made Boeing proved to be more fuel-efficient.
Merkel is going to fly to Argentina aboard sister ship 16+02, another former Lufthansa bird, which was also built in 1999 and joined the air force in 2011.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.