Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Virgin Atlantic flight to New York grounded after passenger spots missing wing screws; Airbus A330 undergoes checks at Manchester Airport.
A Virgin Atlantic aircraft scheduled to depart for New York was grounded just before departure when a passenger observed some screws missing from the aircraft’s wing.
This event occurred on January 15, as reported by the New York Post. The flight, destined for John F Kennedy International Airport, was halted at Manchester Airport, UK. The Airbus A330 needed urgent maintenance checks following the discovery.
The missing screws were noticed by Phil Hardy, a 41-year-old British passenger on flight VS127. Hardy quickly informed the flight attendants about his observation.
In a conversation with the New York Times, Hardy shared his concerns, noting that his partner became anxious upon hearing the news. He explained, “I’m usually comfortable with flying, but the recent incident of an Alaska Airlines aircraft losing part of its fuselage mid-flight made me more cautious. I thought it was safer to let the cabin crew know.”
Despite assurances from airline staff that the wing was safe, Hardy remained apprehensive.
The airline later stated that the flight was cancelled to allow for thorough engineering checks as a precaution. Emphasizing that customer and crew safety is their foremost concern, a spokesperson assured that the situation never posed a danger. The spokesperson added, “Our safety measures exceed industry standards, and the aircraft has since returned to service.”
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Saturday, April 27, 2024
