The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : There were more frowns than smiles on their faces

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

There were more frowns than smiles on their faces

Staff Reporter

Dubai-bound passengers are unhappy lot

SAFE LANDING: A family coming out of the airport on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD: Little Sneha probably does not know what a bird-hit is, but she is glad to be back with her grandparents in Lothukunta. So is her elder brother, Sanjith, studying in Class 2 at a school in Dubai.

The children were in Hyderabad on vacation along with their mother, Latha, and were to return by the Emirates flight, which took off at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

After 35 minutes, the Airbus, with 190 passengers and crew, ran into a bird that got sucked into its starboard engine, damaging two blades, and forcing it to make an emergency landing at the Begumpet airport.

While efforts were on to get the plane back in shape, a majority of the passengers were taken to five-star hotels, with arrangements on to send them to Dubai by alternative flights being put in place.

Passengers streaming out of the international terminal were found with more frowns than smiles on their faces as their schedule went haywire. However, the relief on their faces was visible.

A manufacturer from the city, Lakshma Reddy, was on his way to Jordan en route Dubai to attend an exhibition of the World Manufacturers' Association. He was to have reached his destination this evening.

The Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) factor at the airport has been rather high in recent times. Soon after Tuesday's incident, the airport Director, R.K. Singla, got to work assisting the Emirates staff and coordinating relief.

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