While incident caused a brief stir, it quickly turned into a light-hearted moment, with Bayrou himself reportedly laughing it off and joking about challenges of modern fighter jet design
PARIS: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 21st, 2025) French Prime Minister François Bayrou experienced an unexpected and slightly comical moment during his visit to the Paris Air Show when he became stuck inside the cockpit of a Rafale fighter jet.
Bayrou was touring the international aviation exhibition, where he visited various stalls showcasing the latest in aerospace technology, including aircraft and helicopters from leading global manufacturers.
Among them was the French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation, the maker of the Rafale multirole fighter jet.
During his visit to the Dassault booth, the PM was invited to sit inside the cockpit of a Rafale jet. As he received a briefing on the aircraft’s specifications and operational capabilities, everything appeared to go smoothly — until it was time to exit.
To the surprise of onlookers and security personnel, Bayrou found himself unable to easily get out of the narrow cockpit space. It reportedly took several attempts and some assistance before the PM was finally able to climb out of the aircraft.
While the incident caused a brief stir, it quickly turned into a light-hearted moment, with Bayrou himself reportedly laughing it off and joking about the challenges of modern fighter jet design. The event also drew attention on social media, where users reacted with a mix of humor and admiration for the Prime Minister’s engagement with the country's defense sector.
The Rafale jet, known for its advanced avionics and high performance, is used by several air forces around the world, including France’s own military.
Despite the mishap, PM Bayrou continued his tour of the air show, engaged with aerospace experts and reaffirmed France's commitment to innovation and excellence in aviation.
