TOM5022 Alicante Engine and Flight Disaster
Having been one of the passengers sitting on the TOM 5022 flight from Alicante hoping to land alive in Cardiff, and sitting in row 41 in the window seat on the side of the unfortunate incident, I can tell you that there was a very strong smell of aviation fuel before we began to taxi on the runway, which I failed to report to the crew and realise I would not have been taken any notice of anyway. We had just cleared the mainland and were banking to turn up Spain, I was looking out of the window when the engine exploded, there was no preliminary warning apart from the smell of aviation fuel, there was a very loud bang, with sparks, vibrations and huge flames which reached back to row 41 and aparently also could be seen out of the windows on the other side of the plane. I have to say as someone who totally enjoys the thrill of flying (DID) I thought we were going to die. Seeing the flight attendants running at top speed from the back to the front of the plane did not combat my fears.
We were told to give them instructions as to what we had seen and reopen the shutter which we had closed as we could not face what was happening and tell them what we could see so they could report to the pilot. We circled Alicante for an hour jettisoning fuel flying on only one engine, all of which when you just want to feel land beneath your feet and be as far away from a potential ball of flaming aviation fuel was far too long. On landing we were not allowed anywhere near the airport until the fire crews had checked the plane was safe and far from meeting us on landing it took ten minutes for them to get to us. We then taxied to the airport where we were told we would be kept together in a lounge for us all to recouperate and chill out until we were given further instructions. The flight took off originally at 7.20 Spanish time and we eventually were released into the departure lounge to wander aimlessly shocked and terriefied amid ordinary passengers who had no idea what had just happened, with no where for smokers to have the much needed intake of nicotine and no offer of a cup of tea from Thompson and no Thomson staff in site for at least fifteen minutes. They had no real instruction on how to deal with us and on passengers asking them for instructions we were all told to just find somewhere to sit and chill out!!
At 10.30 on the notice board normally used for telling passengers when to board a notice appeared telling us that flight TOM5022 was to be served dinner, it did not say where, but the queue of 230 passengers so glad to be alive they just followed instruction without question told us where!
The Captain spoke to a few people at the tables whilst he queued for his plate of complimentary chips and chicken burger shapes but no formal announcement was ever made.
Again at 2.30 a notice appeared and staff came and found passengers to tell them tea and pastries were being served. Eventually at 3.30 we board another Thomson plane to take us all back to Cardiff, I have to say I vomitted three times before finally being able to get back onto a plane and the finger prints of my grip are probably still in row 40 middle seat as I have never been so afraid in my life.
I was told we should all be glad to be alive and I know that I am, but the incident was absolutely terrifying and I for one do not appreciate being told that I should be grateful to be alive, as far as I am concerned my life should not have been put at risk in the first place!!! Who is responsible for saying the plane was safe to fly? Who has made the cock up that left an engine fit to explode less than five minutes after take off? Who has the final say that all the checks have been done and the plane is safe to fly 230 passengers? Who is responsible for this incident that has left me with nightmares and flashbacks of the incident in my mind in disbelief that this has happened to me. Shocked that I could have died mid air in an explosion of aviation fuel, traumatised about flying when I have to return to Alicante on a Thompson flight only one week after the incident. WHO?