Tourists blown back from jet blast as plane takes off metres away

Skiathos airport is known for its low landing

Tuesday 23 July 2019 12:22 BST
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A departing plane kicks up a cloud of dust at Skiathos airport
A departing plane kicks up a cloud of dust at Skiathos airport

The nearest most people get to an airport runway is when they're sitting on an aircraft ready to depart.

But at one Greek airport, tourists can get close enough to the runway to feel the force of a take-off.

In video captured by YouTuber Cargospotter, people watching the take-off of a departing plane at Skiathos airport are seen being blown back from the force of the jet blast.

As the Tui Airways aircraft gets ready for take-off, it is seen kicking up a cloud of dust in its wake.

The jet blast forces tourists standing by a low wall just metres from the end of the runway to be pushed back.

Later in the video, the force of a departing Air Horizont 737 aircraft almost causes a mini sandstorm.

The airport on the Greek island is a popular tourist attraction, with planespotters lining up on the road behind the runway.

People are warned not to get too close to the runway, with signs saying: “Danger. Please keep away from aircraft blast.”

Last week, a British Airways Embraer E190 aircraft was filmed landing at Skiathos just metres above planespotters’ heads.

Skiathos airport is dubbed by aviation enthusiasts “European St Maarten” due to its low landing.

On the Caribbean island of St Maarten, hundreds of people gather to watch jumbo jets land just beyond a popular tourist beach.

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