Passengers aboard a QantasLink flight in South Australia experienced a harrowing series of events that forced their aircraft to abort its journey and return to base not once, but twice, following separate mid-air incidents.
A Troubled Takeoff and Immediate Turnaround
The unsettling ordeal began on Saturday morning when QantasLink flight 2581, a Dash 8 aircraft, departed from Adelaide bound for Port Lincoln just before 8am. The flight was cut dramatically short, however, after the plane suffered a bird strike mid-flight. The aircraft was compelled to circle over the Spencer Gulf before pilots made the decision to return to Adelaide for safety checks and repairs.
Passenger Barry Stribling recounted the tense experience to 7News, stating, "We were in the air for what felt like an eternity." He explained that the bird strike occurred near Port Lincoln and a lack of mechanical service there necessitated the return to the original departure point.
A Second Attempt Foiled by Technical Failure
After assessments on the ground, the flight was cleared for a second attempt. The relief was short-lived. "Didn't even get halfway this time before they come over the PA again and announced they had a generator go out," Stribling said. Faced with this new technical failure, the pilots had no choice but to turn the aircraft around for a second time, heading back to Adelaide once more.
In a statement addressing the disruptions, Qantas said, "We appreciate the patience and understanding from our customers and apologise for the delay." The airline confirmed the issues were related to the initial bird strike and the subsequent generator fault.
Six-Hour Ordeal Concludes
The deeply frustrated and shaken travellers finally embarked on their journey successfully on the third attempt. The flight eventually took off for Port Lincoln at around 2pm, a full six hours after the original scheduled departure time.
This incident highlights the unpredictable nature of air travel and the critical safety protocols followed by airlines like Qantas. While such multiple failures on a single service are rare, the event underscores the importance of rigorous safety checks and the discretion of flight crews when facing technical issues.
