Passengers Recount Terror When Air France Flight Makes Frantic Emergency Landing-UPDATE
Air France Airbus A340
UPDATE – March 8, 2012:
According to a report Air France has come out and disputed the characterization of events that unfolded when Flight 422 made an emergency landing in the Azores when there was a smoke alarm aboard:
Air France’s statement read (in part only in quotes):
“The cabin crew put on the breathing protection masks to inspect the rest area and no smoke was detected.”
It added that the captain decided to divert to the nearest airport as a “precautionary measure” because the alarm had sounded.
The plane dumped fuel in order to land without the jet being overweight – a standard procedure, it added.
Air France also denies reports of panic on board and says that passengers did not leave the aircraft on emergency slides.
“The crew informed the passengers in French, English and Spanish, of the reasons for the diversion.
“The crew reported no injuries, illness or panic among the passengers, who left the aircraft normally using both of the airport’s jetways.”
Air France says an investigation found no traces of smoke or any ‘irregularity’ on the airliner.
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Airliner Already Had Issues Delaying the Flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport
An Air France flight bound for Bogota, Colombia from Paris, France had to make an emergency landing on the Azores island of Terceira when there was some kind of circuit failure.
Air France flight 422 was roughly 2 hours in to its flight when the crew got a warning of smoke on the crew deck. Reports say the pilots quickly diverted and headed to the nearest airport which was Lajes Airport on Terceira Island, Azores (Portugal).
But the change in plans was hardly calm, according to the passengers, when the Airbus A340 descended to below 2,000 feet to dump fuel before their emergency landing.
Passengers Euclides and Rosa Montes:
“We looked out of the window and the sea was directly below us. Fuel was pouring out over the wings. We thought we were going to die.”
Swedish newspaper ‘Expressen’ quotes Eden Victoria Erlandsson, another passenger:
“…panic took over, the cabin crew were sweating and shouting, and people were crying and praying. It was total panic.”
The flight made a successful landing and the passengers evacuated the plane via emergency slides, where fire crews awaited them on the tarmac. No one was reported injured.
Passengers reportedly raised concerns about the flight leaving Paris in the first place:
‘After a delay of 34 minutes the flight, AF422, took off from Charles de Gaulle at 11.24am with the smell of burning already apparent upon take off. Two hours into the flight the plane rapidly diverted, turning back to the nearest landing point available.’
Image: Flickr [slasher-fun]
Category: Airnation
Extremely well handled by the crew. After all, any safe landing is a good landing.
Now, why did they take off with issues? Why continue the flight for two hours with issues? Why not a clear announcement to the passengers?
Ah, but this is Air France isn’t it. C’est la Vie, then.
(Just wait. This won’t be the last event this year.)
Have you flown Air France Ronnie? I never have but I know some who have and the experience wasn’t the best.
We have just travelled twice across the Atlantic with Air France. Have never before been on a long-haul flight with so few passenger announcements. The toilets smelt unpleasant even at the start of the flight in Paris and getting off the plane we passed piles of rubbish dropped by passengers around their seats as no attempt was made by cabin crew to collect it at the end of the flight. Can only hope the cockpit is better organised than the cabin. I read recently that Air France has fewer flight deck inspections than many smaller airlines,with only 12 inspectors for their entire fleet. Oui, “c’est la vie” here in France.And today another minor accident at Miami airport.
I flew Air France many times (in Business class) and the service was excellent, plane was clean,…
“and getting off the plane we passed piles of rubbish dropped by passengers around their seats as no attempt was made by cabin crew to collect it at the end of the flight…” maybe thats because its not up to the cabin crew to clean the aircraft but up to the ground crew…
Oh and I went in two of there cockpits (B777-200ER and A340-300) and they where both well maintained and clean.
Ah, the american favorite pass time: bash the French !!
No, of course it’s not up to the cabin crew to clean the aircraft, just to pass by to collect passengers’ rubbish at the end of the flight, as happens with many airlines. And I’ m pleased to hear the cockpits are well maintained and clean but the point I was trying to make, in view of this airline’s accident statistics, was :
In relation to Ronnie’s question about why no clear announcement to passengers during the incident above. That my experience was that there was a lack of announcements generally and
That a badly managed cabin could be indicative of problems elsewhere – just as the state of a restaurant is often indicative of what goes on in the kitchen.
But let’s hope not. Of course travelling business class is likely to be a different experience on any airline.
Since my last comment I have been obliged to fly with Air France on two more occasions. The first flight could not be faulted. Announcements from the cockpit were as good as any other reputable airline(I was beginning to wonder if they had read this site).However, on the second flight the few announcements that were made were totally incomprehensible, due to a faulty inter-com system.I’m a fluent French speaker and may have many problems, but my hearing isn’t one of them, so that wasn’t the reason.
In addition my seat belt was faulty and although we had booked as a couple we were not seated together. The second time this has happened to us with Air France.
Incidentally, Miky, I am not American (nor English) and, if you look at the accident statistics for Air France compared to other airlines, you will understand why some of us are worried when using this airline.
Also if you lived in France you would be aware that American bashing is a favorite French pastime.However,that has nothing to do with the subject at issue.