Holidaymakers warned viral airport photo trend can turn dangerous in seconds
The short and narrow runway attracts holidaymakers (stock image)(Image: Getty)
British holidaymakers are being warned against copying viral plane-spotting videos at a popular Greek island airport. It comes after two tourists were seriously injured by jet blast within days of each other.
Skiathos International Airport, officially called Alexandros Papadiamantis Airport, has become one of Europe’s most famous plane-spotting locations because its runway sits extremely close to the coastline and surrounding public areas. Aircraft pass remarkably low over spectators as they approach, attracting holidaymakers who gather nearby to photograph and film arrivals and departures. It features a short, narrow runway measuring 5,341 feet.
But two recent incidents have highlighted the risk when aircraft are taking off. On August 10, a 52-year-old Italian tourist suffered serious head injuries after the force from a departing aircraft reportedly knocked her to the ground.
She was initially treated at the Skiathos Emergency Clinic before being airlifted to Volos General Hospital. Just three days later, another Italian woman in her early 50s reportedly suffered a severe arm fracture after being knocked over by the jet blast from another departing aircraft.
Local authorities and the airport have consistently placed large warning signs around the perimeter fence to emphasise the serious risks of being near departing aircraft. The prominent signs displayed around Skiathos International Airport, Alexandros Papadiamantis, alert onlookers that the force of engine thrust can push people and objects away. Police and city officials keep reminding visitors to avoid congregating directly behind the runway.
Emily Matthews, travel advisor at Private Portugal Tours, says tourists should understand that standing near a runway to watch a plane land and positioning themselves directly behind an aircraft preparing to depart can expose them to very different risks. “The videos that make Skiathos famous can make the whole experience look like an unusual holiday attraction, but tourists need to pay attention to exactly where they are standing and what the aircraft is doing,” Emily said.
“Standing directly behind a departing aircraft to get a dramatic video is something holidaymakers should avoid. If there are warning signs telling you about jet blast, take them literally and move away.”
Take off is where tourists need to be particularly careful
Skiathos has sometimes been described as Europe’s answer to St Maarten in the Caribbean, where aircraft famously pass low over a beach before reaching the runway. That close approach is what many tourists travel to photograph.
However, watching aircraft take off can be more hazardous for spectators too close to the runway perimeter, as large aircraft generate substantial thrust as they depart. Warning signs at Skiathos specifically alert visitors to the danger of jet blast.
“People may arrive because they have watched a video of an aircraft flying low overhead, then assume that anywhere around the runway is part of the same experience,” Emily said. “The important distinction is what happens when a plane turns around and prepares to take off. If you are positioned behind it, you can suddenly be in the path of extremely powerful airflow.
“Do not choose your position because a video looked impressive from there. Look at the warning signs around you and keep well away from areas where spectators are being warned about jet blast.”
Do not assume the crowd means the spot is safe
Plane spotting at Skiathos is well established, and large numbers of spectators can gather close to the airport. Emily says that creates another risk for tourists: assuming that a location must be safe because dozens of other people are already standing there.
“A crowd is not a safety assessment,” she said. “It is very easy on holiday to think, ‘Everyone else is doing it, so this must be where you are supposed to stand.’
“That logic can be especially persuasive when people have their phones out and appear to be waiting for exactly the same photograph. But warning signs do not stop applying because a crowd has formed beside them.”
The August 10 incident is currently being investigated by local authorities, according to reports. The tourist was believed to have been standing at a plane-spotting area close to the airport when she was knocked down. Skiathos has also seen jet-blast injuries in previous years, reinforcing that the hazard is not theoretical.
The ‘perfect’ video is not worth standing behind a departing aircraft for
Emily also warns tourists against trying to recreate footage they have seen online frame-for-frame. Viral travel videos often show only the few dramatic seconds when an aircraft passes or begins its take-off roll. They do not necessarily show the warnings around the location, how far the person filming is from the aircraft or what happened immediately afterwards.
“Social media can flatten the difference between watching something and participating in the risk,” Emily said. “You might see people’s clothes and hair being blown around and think that is part of the fun. Once enough videos like that circulate, being hit by the blast can almost become part of the attraction.
“Two serious injuries within days should be enough to remind people that being knocked off your feet is not a harmless holiday experience.” She advises tourists who want to watch aircraft to choose a position away from the direct line behind departing planes, respect barriers and signs, and move if local staff or authorities instruct spectators to do so.
Keep children away from the jet-blast area
Families should be particularly cautious about bringing young children into crowded plane-spotting locations where departing aircraft are nearby. “Children are naturally going to be excited when a huge aircraft passes close overhead, but this is one place where parents should decide where the family stands rather than simply following the crowd.
“If you cannot clearly understand the warnings or you are unsure whether your position is exposed to departing aircraft, move farther away. You can still enjoy watching the planes without trying to stand in the most dramatic possible spot.
“Skiathos is famous for an extraordinary view that aviation enthusiasts cannot experience at many other European destinations. That does not make every position around the runway equally safe. The simplest rule is to remember the difference between the spectacular low approach people travel to see and putting yourself behind an aircraft as it powers up to leave. A holiday video is never worth ignoring a warning sign for.”