PLANE DRAMA AFTER BIRD STRIKE
A PLANE was forced to make an emergency U-turn after it struck a bird shortly after take-off.
More than 90 passengers were on the jet between Cardiff and Paris yesterday when a witness said the plane suffered “a jolt” and a “smell of burning” passed through the cabin.
The Flybe plane was going from Cardiff to Charles de Gaulle Paris but had to return to Wales for emergency engine checks.
The plane had 92 passengers on board and took off at 9.25am. It should have landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport an hour and 20 minutes later.
But it struck the bird just minutes into the journey and the plane was forced to return so it could be inspected.
Passenger Tom Barrance, 60, said: “We hit a bird shortly after taking off from Cardiff and had to return. There was a bit of a jolt and a smell of bird – it smelled like burning.”
Mr Barrance, a filmmaker from Penarth, was heading to Paris for a training course.
He said: “The captain came on the tannoy and said ‘you may have noticed we have hit a bird – that’s what the smell in the cabin is. We have to return to Cardiff. The engine seems to be fine but because of regulations we have to go back.’”
The aircraft ended up circling over South Wales before it was given permission to return to land at Cardiff Airport.
A spokeswoman for Cardiff Airport said it was matter for Flybe.
A Flybe spokesman said: “Flybe can confirm that the flight returned from airborne this morning as a precaution following a bird strike en route between Cardiff and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
“The aircraft landed safely without further incident and, as is common practice in such situations, the airport put its emergency vehicles on standby.
“Flybe would like to apologise for any inconvenience experienced.
“However, the safety of its passengers and crew is the airline’s number one priority at all times.”