Annalena Burbock was hoping to see the women's world championship final. Photo: Michael Kappeler/DPA
The German foreign minister was forced to cancel a high-profile trip to Australasia after her government plane broke down for the second time.
Annalena Burbock hoped to make it to Australia in time for the Women's World Cup semi-final , but was instead stuck in Abu Dhabi after two failed takeoff attempts.
On Tuesday, she confirmed she had canceled her week-long trip, which was supposed to include stops in New Zealand and Fiji, and was heading back. to Berlin in a spread that the German media branded as a «fiasco».
“We have tried everything. Unfortunately, from a logistical point of view, it is impossible to continue my journey through the Indo-Pacific region without a malfunctioning aircraft. It's more than annoying,” Ms Burbock tweeted.
The 23-year-old A340 made a refueling stop in Abu Dhabi on its way to Australia on Monday morning.
But a flap problem caused the aircraft to fail to reach its cruising altitude. , due to which the flight was interrupted a few minutes after takeoff.
Critics say Ms. Burbock should keep her promise by traveling commercially. Photo: MICHELE TANTUSSI/AFP
The pilot flew in circles over the Persian Gulf peninsula, dumping 80 tons of kerosene before the Airbus plane could again land safely in Abu Dhabi.
A successful test flight later on Monday showed that the problem had been fixed. . But when Ms. Burbock and her delegation of government officials and journalists flew again on Tuesday, the problem recurred.
Because the plane failed, Ms. Burbock and her team canceled the trip on the grounds that she it will be impossible to keep to her planned schedule with commercial flights.
In the meantime, the German Air Force has announced that it will write off the ailing A340 and another model of the same type, intended for ministers. He added that the move would not affect future diplomatic missions.
The episode was met with dismay by the German media, with the tabloid newspaper Bild calling it a «fiasco». News magazine Der Spiegel says the incident «is consistent with everything you've heard about the country lately.»
The A340 had a wing flap problem that prevented it from reaching cruising altitude. Photo: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP
Thorsten Benner, director of the Global Institute for Public Policy, a Berlin-based think tank, said: «Perfectly planned for the flight, the signal of Germany's commitment to the Indo-Pacific has become the perfect metaphor for anyone to trade in their favorite theory of Germany's decline.»
“Despite the fact that many German interpretations of doom and gloom sound rather silly, the reputational damage both at home and abroad caused by a series of unfortunate incidents with the government fleet is real,” he added.
< p>Other critics ridiculed Ms. Barbock of the Green Party for flying a half-empty government plane, promising to fly commercial aircraft wherever possible soon after taking office.
“You can't preach water and drink wine. Government aircraft are expensive, unreliable and have a huge environmental footprint.” Leftist MP Gezin Lötsch told Der Spiegel.
The fleet of more than a dozen aircraft operated by the Air Force for the German government has been suffering from mechanical problems in recent years.
B In 2018, the same A340 used by Ms Burbock was forced to make an emergency landing in Cologne while carrying Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz to the G20 summit in Brazil.
1.2 billion euros (1 billion pounds). ) the overhaul of the fleet is nearing completion, and cabinet ministers will soon travel around the world in three luxury A350 airliners equipped with private bathrooms and VIP lounges.
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