Former German chancellor Angela Merkel was returning from vacation on a regular economy class flight. Footage of the politician on board the aircraft appeared at the disposal of the publication Bild.
Angela Merkel, 68, spent a holiday on the Canary island of Fuerteventura with her 73-year-old husband, Professor Joachim Sauer. On vacation, they lived in a 4-star Innside by Meliá hotel, where a room costs about 162 euros per night, German journalists found out.
The ex-head of Germany was returning to her homeland on an Airbus 320-200 of the Eurowings airline (the ticket price is approximately 504 euros per person).
“Passengers sitting nearby took a picture of Angela Merkel sitting at the window wearing a mask and with a tablet. The whole flight she read something on the tablet, solved crosswords, and ate sandwiches with red pepper that she brought with her. When the plane landed, Merkel was met by a security guard”, the publication reports.
Even though the ex-chancellor is retired, Angela Merkel still has the right to protection and personal staff. It is noted that in her office there are nine employees: an office manager, a deputy head, two secretaries, three clerks, and two drivers, the publication reports.
She pays for her trips out of her pocket. According to Bild, the ex-politicians pension is about 15 thousand euros, and bodyguards abroad are paid for by the host state.