Thomas probably has the most fun when faced with unusual challenges. Like the one I’m about to tell you, which arose in Bucharest at the beginning of the 1990s. The four of us wanted to fly to Sofia, and tickets were available. But the airline, Tarom, regularly overbooked the weekly flight in a decrepit Antonov An-24. So we were turned back at check-in – there was no room for us. But Thomas had knowledge of Federal Councillor Jean-Pascal Delamuraz’s planned extended trip to Eastern Europe, which he was planning to undertake in three months. So he declared us diplomats who were responsible for preparing the boss’s trip, and immediately announced that there would be severe diplomatic repercussions if we were not allowed on board immediately. It worked, and the displaced passengers who had to make room for us were also allowed to travel with us
– on the floor between the rows of seats.
