Sunday 7 August 2022 03:40 AM Qantas plane forced to abandon takeoff after terrified passengers reported ... trends now
A Qantas plane has been forced to abandon takeoff after terrified passengers reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the engine.
Over a hundred passengers were removed from the QF91 aircraft due to fly from Sydney to New Caledonia following reports of an engine fire on Sunday.
Sydney Airport's air traffic control tower notified the pilot of the issue with the starboard engine, who then shut down the engine as a precaution.
The plane was escorted from the runway back to the terminal to allow passengers to disembark and engineers to assess the aircraft.
Over one hundred passengers were removed from the QF91 aircraft (pictured) due to fly from Sydney to New Caledonia following reports of an engine fire on Sunday morning
An alert issued by the aircraft's pilot asked for assistance from aviation fire and rescue crews with a number of firetrucks later escorting the plane back to the terminal
Passengers scheduled to take-off from Sydney about 7.40am on Sunday were put on another flight to Nouméa.
Qantas said the aircraft has since been cleared to fly and that there was no sign of fire when the engine was shut down.
'The pilots followed procedure and shut down the engine as a precaution after being alerted by the control tower while taxiing,' the airline said.
'There was no warning light in the cockpit and no sign of fire when the engine was shut down. Engineers have inspected the aircraft and cleared it to return to service. Passengers have been re-accommodated on to another flight this morning.
'We thank passengers for their patience and understanding.'
The pilot is understood to have sent a 'pan-pan' alert - a low-level risk alert not posing an immediate danger to life - to the air traffic control tower.
The alert asked for assistance from aviation fire and rescue crews with a number of firetrucks later escorting the plane back to the terminal.
It's understood at least 147 passengers were delayed in the latest issue to hit Qantas off the back of a tough year for the beleaguered airline.
It's understood at least 147 passengers were impacted in the latest saga to hit Qantas off the back of a tough year for the beleaguered airline (pictured, queues at Sydney Airport)
A Qantas spokesperson said the aircraft has since been cleared to fly and that there was no sign of fire when the engine was shut down (pictured, Qantas staff in April, 2021)
Traveller have reported long delays, lost luggage and problems with customer service - with the airline last week suffering a computer glitch that grounded several flights and throw the travel plans of hundreds into disarray.
Hundreds were left waiting onboard packed planes on runways across the country last Sunday night after an IT glitch delayed up to a dozen
