Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Jetstar plane bound for Mackay Airport forced to turn back to Brisbane

A Jetstar plane bound for Mackay was forced to return to Brisbane on Tuesday 16 November after experiencing a mechanical problem. Jetstar flight JQ888, which was being operated by Airbus A320 VH-VQO, took off from Brisbane about 2.30pm, but returned shortly afterwards. The A320 landed without incident and none of the passengers and crew were injured.

Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway was quoted (on http://www.abc.net.au/) as saying:

"The issue was we were losing some hydraulic fluid. A directive was given to the captain that some fluid was left on the tarmac when the aircraft took off" he said.

"The aircraft would've been stranded in Mackay if it pushed onwards to Mackay and the decision, the right decision, was made to return that aircraft back to Brisbane."

The issue appears to have affected the aircraft's landing gear.

Mr Westaway said that investigations were continuing.

Passengers were transferred to a later flight (which was operated by Jetstar's A320 VH-VGP which wears a special decal promoting "Powderfinger's" Australian tour).

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