An unexpected delay for the Bayern Munich football team on their way to the Club World Cup in Qatar: after their away game 0-1 win against Hertha BSC last Friday, the team wanted to travel from Berlin Brandenburg straight to Doha, Qatar.
The German authorities, however, refused take-off clearance for Qatar Airways flight QR7402 as the request was done at 00:03 (UTC +1), three minutes past the local night flight restrictions at Berlin’s Brandenburg airport.
An exemption to the night flight restriction couldn’t be granted, hence the team was forced to stay onboard the Airbus A350-900 (registered A7-ANB) until the next morning at 07:00, seven hours later than originally scheduled.
Luckily, the players could sleep in their business class seats and enjoy the fully catered aircraft. But the delay was much to the dislike of Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Flight duty limitations forced a new flight schedule: from Berlin to Munich to change crew, then onward to Doha, where the team landed at 16:14 (local time).
The team is due to play Egyptian team Al Ahly in the Club World Cup semifinals on Monday.
