A serious security incident at Košice Airport in Slovakia on Tuesday morning led to a delay of several hours for Austrian Airlines flight OS654 to Vienna.
A man, approximately 50 years old, gained unauthorized access to the airport grounds during the night, boarded an Embraer E195 aircraft, registration OE-LWI, parked on the apron, and lay down to sleep in the passenger cabin. The intruder was only discovered by the flight crew shortly before the scheduled departure, when he asked the captain if the aircraft had already taken off.
According to current findings, the Slovakian citizen broke into the largely empty terminal building during the night and helped himself to food and drinks in unlocked food service areas. He then scaled a security fence and reached the restricted apron. There, the Austrian Airlines aircraft, which had arrived from Vienna the previous evening, was parked for the night. Neither the stairs nor the aircraft door were properly secured, allowing the man unimpeded access to the passenger cabin.
To rule out any danger to the passengers, the aircraft commander ordered a comprehensive security check of the entire plane. A special police unit, along with drug and explosive detection dogs, examined the jet for dangerous objects or signs of sabotage. Only after the emergency services gave the all-clear was the Embraer E195 able to depart for Austria, with a delay of approximately two hours.
Security experts consider the incident a clear failure of access controls and perimeter surveillance at Košice Airport. The airport operator confirmed the incident and announced an immediate increase in security measures. Austrian Airlines also acknowledged the incident and is reviewing internal procedures regarding the security of parked aircraft at international airports. Slovak police authorities have not yet announced whether criminal proceedings have been initiated against the suspect for trespassing and interfering with air traffic.