retnox
24th Aug 2008, 12:08
The article, copy-pasta from the Cyprus Mail (Source: http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=40972&archive=1) appears to waffle a lot but doesn't go into detail as to what caused the incident with the aircraft.
The citation within the report that suggests the Captain asked pax whether they "could feel the craft vibrating" is concerning. I would have thought that the commander makes a decision based on his knowledge, experience and SOP as to whether its safe to continue the flight or divert it. Asking the pax whether they can feel vibrating shouts to me of a poorly calibrated commander unsure of his own ability, or possibly suffering from fatigue and wondering if he is imagining the vibrations.
I would hope it's just bad reporting and what actually happened was more along the lines of the captain stating "The plane is vibrating/suffering technical difficulties and as such we will return to the airport. Please do not be concerned, we are completely safe"
Relief for tourists in easyJet ordeal
By Bejay Browne
(archive article - Friday, August 22, 2008) A HUNDRED and sixty one easyJet passengers stranded in Paphos since Wednesday evening were last night finally set to leave for their destination in Manchester, ending a 24-hour ordeal that started when their original flight turned back when the plane began to shake, half an hour after take off.
A spokesman for the airline confirmed last night that the plane had been repaired and was scheduled to leave at 11.10pm. Passengers said they had initially been told it was up to them to book onto the next available flights, which at the peak of the summer season were not before September, potentially leaving them stranded in Cyprus with nowhere to stay.
Paul and Lisa Jessop were with a party of six families, who were holidaying in Paphos together. Their group alone consists of 12 adults and 13 children.
“We’re from Huddersfield in the UK,” said Paul Jessop, “and we arrived in Paphos for a two week holiday on August 7.
“The flight took off a little late, and we can only have been in the air about half an hour, when the pilot said he was experiencing a strange vibration, and could we feel it?
“We didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. He said he’d been a pilot for 20 years, and never experienced anything like it. He announced we would be returning to Paphos airport. He was very calm, although lots of people were crying, especially the children, and one woman had a panic attack. She had to be taken off the plane as soon as we landed.”
Another member of the party, Joanne McDonagh, took up the story: “The engineers got on and started to look around. We were then told to get off the plane, and some busses took us to the airport terminal. They told us we would have to wait about half an hour.
But things got worse: “More than an hour later a man, a baggage handler, said the flight wouldn’t be taking off and it had been cancelled. He told us we would have to get our luggage and leave the airport. He said we would have to sort out our flights via the internet. When I asked him how he expected us to get access to the net he said, ‘book yourself into a hotel, and they will have it’. A lot of us don’t have the money to pay for hotels and flights, it was unbelievable.”
McDonagh added, “all 161 passengers stayed together for a while; we were upset and didn’t really know what to do. They came and told us we had to get on the busses, and collect our luggage, or they would call the security and the Cyprus police. Some passengers, like us, stayed behind, as we had no money, and wanted to speak to easyJet to get some information.”
She continued: “I think the airport or the handlers organised for us to come to this hotel. We left the airport at about 10am on Thursday morning. We were up all night. No one from easyJet contacted us. Paul got through to them twice in the UK, and twice they put the phone down on him. We’ve been brought to the Annabelle Hotel which is very nice and the staff are great. But it’s only for one night and then, I don’t know what will happen.”
“We didn’t even book with easyJet, but GB airways in September last year,” said Jessop. “Apparently they were bought out by easyJet. It’s a nightmare, and they haven’t shown the least bit of concern for us. There has been no attempt to contact us, and we’re desperate for information. There doesn’t seem to be anyone here in Cyprus we can contact either.”
He continued, “there are no available flights on their internet site until September 5.Why should we be organising our flights. Their plane came back because the pilot wasn’t happy, so they should make sure we get home as soon as possible. We all have to go back to work, and the kids are back at school soon. It’s an absolute disgrace. We’re stranded and have no money. We’re only allowed one drink and one meal.”
Mahdi Zeraati was travelling with his three children. “I’m a surgeon,” he said, “and I had to cancel my operating list for today. I don’t know when I will be back, so I can’t give my patients any information. We’ve been stranded here and abandoned, it’s terrible. .EasyJet hasn’t given us any information, and it’s hard to get any flights out of Paphos as it’s high season.
Yesterday afternoon, British technicians were flown to Paphos to see if they could fix the stricken plane.
The airline’s European Corporate Affairs Manager yesterday confirmed that, “easyJet flight EZY1974 from Paphos to Manchester on Wednesday, August 20 returned to Paphos after having taken off from the Cypriot airport due to a possible technical problem with the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely back at Paphos and the flight was subsequently cancelled due to maintenance work which needed to be carried out.
“Passengers were offered a transfer onto the next available flight or a refund if they chose not to travel. They were also offered hotel accommodation, if required.
“easyJet would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to passengers.”
Later in the evening, he told the Cyprus Mail in an email that a flight had been arranged: “Passengers who were booked on the affected flight last night will now travel on a flight this evening which will depart at 11.10pm local time.” He said two flights would be leaving at around the same time – the scheduled flight and last night’s flight on board the repaired plane.
Contacted last night, Jessop confirmed they had been taken to the airport and had their luggage checked in. He added he had no problem travelling on the same plane, as he was confident the airline put safety above all else.
The citation within the report that suggests the Captain asked pax whether they "could feel the craft vibrating" is concerning. I would have thought that the commander makes a decision based on his knowledge, experience and SOP as to whether its safe to continue the flight or divert it. Asking the pax whether they can feel vibrating shouts to me of a poorly calibrated commander unsure of his own ability, or possibly suffering from fatigue and wondering if he is imagining the vibrations.
I would hope it's just bad reporting and what actually happened was more along the lines of the captain stating "The plane is vibrating/suffering technical difficulties and as such we will return to the airport. Please do not be concerned, we are completely safe"
Relief for tourists in easyJet ordeal
By Bejay Browne
(archive article - Friday, August 22, 2008) A HUNDRED and sixty one easyJet passengers stranded in Paphos since Wednesday evening were last night finally set to leave for their destination in Manchester, ending a 24-hour ordeal that started when their original flight turned back when the plane began to shake, half an hour after take off.
A spokesman for the airline confirmed last night that the plane had been repaired and was scheduled to leave at 11.10pm. Passengers said they had initially been told it was up to them to book onto the next available flights, which at the peak of the summer season were not before September, potentially leaving them stranded in Cyprus with nowhere to stay.
Paul and Lisa Jessop were with a party of six families, who were holidaying in Paphos together. Their group alone consists of 12 adults and 13 children.
“We’re from Huddersfield in the UK,” said Paul Jessop, “and we arrived in Paphos for a two week holiday on August 7.
“The flight took off a little late, and we can only have been in the air about half an hour, when the pilot said he was experiencing a strange vibration, and could we feel it?
“We didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. He said he’d been a pilot for 20 years, and never experienced anything like it. He announced we would be returning to Paphos airport. He was very calm, although lots of people were crying, especially the children, and one woman had a panic attack. She had to be taken off the plane as soon as we landed.”
Another member of the party, Joanne McDonagh, took up the story: “The engineers got on and started to look around. We were then told to get off the plane, and some busses took us to the airport terminal. They told us we would have to wait about half an hour.
But things got worse: “More than an hour later a man, a baggage handler, said the flight wouldn’t be taking off and it had been cancelled. He told us we would have to get our luggage and leave the airport. He said we would have to sort out our flights via the internet. When I asked him how he expected us to get access to the net he said, ‘book yourself into a hotel, and they will have it’. A lot of us don’t have the money to pay for hotels and flights, it was unbelievable.”
McDonagh added, “all 161 passengers stayed together for a while; we were upset and didn’t really know what to do. They came and told us we had to get on the busses, and collect our luggage, or they would call the security and the Cyprus police. Some passengers, like us, stayed behind, as we had no money, and wanted to speak to easyJet to get some information.”
She continued: “I think the airport or the handlers organised for us to come to this hotel. We left the airport at about 10am on Thursday morning. We were up all night. No one from easyJet contacted us. Paul got through to them twice in the UK, and twice they put the phone down on him. We’ve been brought to the Annabelle Hotel which is very nice and the staff are great. But it’s only for one night and then, I don’t know what will happen.”
“We didn’t even book with easyJet, but GB airways in September last year,” said Jessop. “Apparently they were bought out by easyJet. It’s a nightmare, and they haven’t shown the least bit of concern for us. There has been no attempt to contact us, and we’re desperate for information. There doesn’t seem to be anyone here in Cyprus we can contact either.”
He continued, “there are no available flights on their internet site until September 5.Why should we be organising our flights. Their plane came back because the pilot wasn’t happy, so they should make sure we get home as soon as possible. We all have to go back to work, and the kids are back at school soon. It’s an absolute disgrace. We’re stranded and have no money. We’re only allowed one drink and one meal.”
Mahdi Zeraati was travelling with his three children. “I’m a surgeon,” he said, “and I had to cancel my operating list for today. I don’t know when I will be back, so I can’t give my patients any information. We’ve been stranded here and abandoned, it’s terrible. .EasyJet hasn’t given us any information, and it’s hard to get any flights out of Paphos as it’s high season.
Yesterday afternoon, British technicians were flown to Paphos to see if they could fix the stricken plane.
The airline’s European Corporate Affairs Manager yesterday confirmed that, “easyJet flight EZY1974 from Paphos to Manchester on Wednesday, August 20 returned to Paphos after having taken off from the Cypriot airport due to a possible technical problem with the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely back at Paphos and the flight was subsequently cancelled due to maintenance work which needed to be carried out.
“Passengers were offered a transfer onto the next available flight or a refund if they chose not to travel. They were also offered hotel accommodation, if required.
“easyJet would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to passengers.”
Later in the evening, he told the Cyprus Mail in an email that a flight had been arranged: “Passengers who were booked on the affected flight last night will now travel on a flight this evening which will depart at 11.10pm local time.” He said two flights would be leaving at around the same time – the scheduled flight and last night’s flight on board the repaired plane.
Contacted last night, Jessop confirmed they had been taken to the airport and had their luggage checked in. He added he had no problem travelling on the same plane, as he was confident the airline put safety above all else.