Second Belfast Flight Aborts

A second Belfast flight within days has been forced to abort a take-off.

Today, the captain of an Easyjet plane was forced to stop his take-off from Belfast because of fears about the weight in the hold.

It has transpired that the 7.30am flight from Belfast International Airport to Luton was delayed for two and a half hours so as the weight could be "rebalanced".

However, the captain is quoted as saying that "he had never witnessed anything like it in 20 years".

But Easyjet said he was referring to two separate problems - the other involving the plane's forward door.

In a statement, Easyjet said the delay of two and a half hours was due to a possible technical problem and weight distribution issue.

"The flight was initially delayed following a problem with the forward door not opening as easily as it should.

"When the aircraft later pushed back, the captain then decided not to proceed with take-off, following an indication of a possible problem involving the distribution of weight and balance of the aircraft."

They insisted that the captain's comment "I have not experienced this in 20 years of flying", was in reference to the coincidence of passengers experiencing two very different issues on their flight, causing the delay of their departure.

However, just days earlier, Belfast-bound passengers were delayed by 10 hours in a British airport after their plane had to abort take-off.

They were due to fly back from Newcastle to the George Best Belfast City Airport on the 8.35am flight on Friday, but, as their plane hurtled down the runway the 43 passengers on board were shocked to find themselves suddenly slowing down.

According to a passenger, the captain said there was a serious technical problem and that passengers needed to return to the airport.

But over three hours later, the Flybe passengers were still waiting in the airport, and it was then that they were told that the only information available was that a part was coming for the plane

A Flybe statement said that the aircraft was expected to depart at around 8pm, but the flight, Be930, did experience "technical problems" at take-off.

But she said that the aircraft, with 43 passengers and four crew on board, returned safely to Newcastle airport.

"Flybe apologises unreservedly for any inconvenience caused by the delay experienced whilst parts were transported to the airport, but safety of passengers and crew is always of paramount importance," a spokeswoman said.

(BMcC)