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Two Icelandair pilots operating a commercial Boeing 757 flight between Frankfurt Airport and Keflavik International Airport have had their licences revoked following an unauthorised low-altitude flyby.
The flypast occurred near a built-up area close to Reykjavik in April, triggering an investigation by local authorities. Residents on the island reported feeling their homes physically shake as the airliner passed overhead.
Two Icelandair 757 pilots have been temporarily stripped of their licenses, one for one year and the other for two, after flying their passenger flight below a safe altitude over the Westman Islands on April 11.
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The Captain of the plane, who was flying his last flight with… pic.twitter.com/UIztDfgmSF
It was later revealed that the captain was operating his final commercial flight before retirement, with the flyby intended as a nod to his upbringing in Vestmannaeyjar. During the initial climb, the aircraft dipped to the right as if waving goodbye before returning to a steady ascent.
The captain has been stripped of his licence for 24 months, while the first officer has had his licence suspended for 12 months.
Linda Gunnarsdóttir, Chief Pilot at Icelandair, addressed the incident in an interview with local media, stating: “In aviation, everything is tightly governed by procedures and checklists in normal passenger operations, and this does not fall within that framework.”
According to official reports, the aircraft descended to approximately 100 metres (328 feet) above ground level during the manoeuvre - significantly below standard legal minimums for commercial operations. The low pass was not included in the approved flight plan.
While many airlines strictly prohibit retiring pilots from performing non-standard manoeuvres, symbolic wing-waves remain an informal tradition at some carriers, such as Lufthansa.
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