Plane attempts three landings at Cork airport after difficulties

Cork Airport activated its full emergency plan last Thursday night when atrocious weather conditions and an impaired windscreen forced the pilot of an Aer Arann plane to abort two attempts at landing.

When the flight carrying 46 passengers and four crew finally landed almost an hour and a half behind schedule, relieved passengers applauded the pilot.

Kevin Cullinane, marketing manager at Cork Airport, said there had been an issue with a “film of residue” on the windscreen and there had been reports the residue was sea salt.

He said an Aer Lingus pilot who flew into Cork the same evening had also reported a residue — later identified by engineers as salt — and a pilot flying into Shannon last month had a similar experience.

Mr Cullinane said the pilot had issued a Pan-Pan distress call, which signifies an urgent situation, but is of lower order than a Mayday call, which indicates a life-threatening situation.

Mr Cullinane said, in light of the bad weather and the impaired windscreen, the airport fire officer activated the full emergency services plan. Four tenders from Cork City Fire Brigade and one from the county attended, as did gardaí and ambulance crews.

The aircraft, flying from Cork to Manchester, finally landed on its third attempt, over an hour and a quarter behind its scheduled 10.30am arrival time and after spending more than an hour holding.

The emergency plan was stood down after the plane was parked at 11.56pm.

Mr Cullinane said it was “very rare” to activate the full emergency plan at the airport. “I can think of only one incident in the past 12 months or so,” he said.

One passenger said the pilot and crew deserved huge praise. “They handled the situation very calmly and professionally,” he said.

“Just before the third landing attempt, the pilot spoke to us over the intercom in a very calm voice, in a very matter of fact way. She said the crew would be briefing us on safety procedures again, and to check our safety belts. That was about it really. It was a bumpy landing but nothing out of the ordinary.

“The pilot got a sustained and loud round of applause from some very relieved passengers. It was probably worse for the people in the terminal waiting for loved ones who saw emergency vehicles lined up next to the runway.”

Aer Arann said yesterday that its Aer Lingus Regional flight EI-3729 “was delayed on arrival due to adverse weather conditions”. The Irish Aviation Authority confirmed the plane performed “two ‘go-arounds’ during strong crosswinds at Cork Airport” before landing safely. It said emergency services were alerted as a precautionary measure.