This story originally appeared on WIRED Italia and has been translated from Italian.
This is the most important moment in the life of an airliner: when the new owner signs for it and picks it up, much like a driver picking up a new car from a dealer.
The aircraft in question is an Airbus A321neo, and it is parked at Hamburg-Finkenwerder, the German city’s second airport, which Airbus uses for testing, logistics, and delivery of airplanes to customers. Gathered around the plane are pilots and cabin crew, as well as two executives from Wizz Air, the low-cost Hungarian airline that is about to take delivery of it.
Airlines and manufacturers never