A Ryanair flight was forced to abort take-off just seconds before leaving the runway yesterday due to a technical issue.
Flight FR9378 to Seville, which was scheduled to depart Birmingham Airport a little before 1pm on Thursday, came to an abrupt halt on the runway after a warning light appeared in the cockpit.
The aircraft was forced to return to the gate following the false start, leaving passengers concerned and frustrated by the lack of immediate information.
The flight, which was eventually rescheduled with a replacement aircraft, faced a delay of nearly three hours before its eventual departure.
The aircraft was forced to return to the gate following the false start
PADavid Fern, a passenger from Leicester, was one of those on board when the aircraft suddenly stopped on the runway.
"It came to a stop. I saw the wing flaps retract, then the engines went quiet," he told BirminghamLive.
"The only thing they have told us is that a light came on in the cockpit, no other explanation.
"I knew something was wrong the way it came to a sudden stop and the engine noise cut out," he said.
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Ryanair said a 'minor technical issue' forced the plane to abort take-off
PAThe abrupt halt left passengers wondering what had caused the technical issue, with the crew unable to explain what had happened.
But in the face of on-board confusion, Fern maintained his composure throughout the incident.
He said: "There was some delay and very little information provided. I just thought: 'Do I need to run?'"
"I didn't panic, I just thought maybe I need to get out. I didn't see any smoke so thought it must be OK," Fern added.
In the face of on-board confusion, Fern maintained his composure as his flight sat at Birmingham Airport
GETTY
After a period of uncertainty, passengers were finally informed they would be transferred to another aircraft.
Ryanair later issued a statement addressing the Birmingham Airport fracas.
"This flight from Birmingham to Seville (November 7) did not take off as planned due to a minor technical issue with the aircraft," the airline said.
"To minimise disruption to passengers, Ryanair arranged an alternative aircraft which since departed for Seville at 3.43pm local time."
Birmingham Airport confirmed that the incident was a matter for Ryanair to handle.
The replacement flight eventually departed nearly three hours after the original scheduled time.
