Thursday, October 04, 2012

Qantas Boeing 747-400, VH-OJC, Flight QF-5: Burning Smell In Cabin

A QANTAS plane that left Sydney bound for Germany has made an emergency landing in Darwin after an unusual smell filled the cabin.

There were 305 passengers on board the Boeing 747 when it made its unscheduled stop at Darwin Airport late on Thursday.

They are being put up in hotels while engineers investigate what was described by one passenger as a burning smell.

"Qantas flight QF5 operating from Sydney to Singapore diverted to Darwin due to an odour in the cabin," a Qantas spokeswoman said.

"The captain requested a priority landing. The odour dissipated within 10 minutes.

"The captain said it smelled of plastic. No medical attention was needed for any of the passengers or crew."

Reports that there was smoke in the cabin or that oxygen masks fell from the ceiling are incorrect, she said.

The flight left Sydney Airport at 4pm (AEST) on Thursday and arrived in Darwin at 8.30pm (ACST). It was due to stop over in Singapore before continuing to Germany.

Passengers are currently waiting for information on when their journey will resume.

Twitter users on board the flight described the experience.

Mark Cubey wrote: "It was all going well - aisle seat, Moonrise Kingdom - until the smell of burning filled the plane. Now grounded in Darwin. Waiting..."

He said they had been told they would be in Darwin until tomorrow night.

Jim Macnamara wrote: "Electrical fire on Qantas QF5 to Singapore over NT. Landed safely in Darwin. Stranded. But welcome Terra firma."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au

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