Cobalt Manchester flight returns to Larnaca 50 minutes after departure
Cobalt air flight CO0516 that departed for Manchester at 11.10am on Sunday returned to Larnaca airport and landed at around 12pm after the captain after the captain noticed a problem during take-off concerning the retraction of the aircraft’s wheels.
A spokesman for the air carrier said that it was not a technical problem and that it was a matter of precaution.
According to twitter reports, the airplane was circling for 45 minutes over Larnaca airport to burn off fuel and landed at around 12pm.
“The captain noticed there was a mistake in the computer frequency concerning the retraction of the wheels and as the plane was still on take-off, he deemed it was best to return and have it thoroughly checked,” Cobalt’s chief corporate officer Philokypros Roussounides told the Cyprus Mail.
He reiterated that the company’s motto is “safety first” despite additional costs and delays.
“Our captains have clear instructions to land at any cost at the nearest airport in order to make necessary checks if they deem it is necessary,” Roussounides said.
The flight was initially scheduled to fly to Manchester at 6am, but it departed at 11.10am instead following a delay in the company’s flight schedule caused by an emergency landing of another Cobalt flight flying from Thessaloniki to Larnaca on Saturday but which landed at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos International airport, after encountering cabin decompression problems. Saturday’s flight was with an Airbus 320, operated by Everjets on behalf of Cobalt.
“The plane was flying over Athens at the time, and the captain deemed best to land at the airport there to have it checked,” he said.
The company was not in a position at the moment to say when the check will be completed and when the aircraft will depart for Manchester.
Cobalt crews at the Larnaca Airport informed passengers, he said, while other arrangements will be made, depending on how long the check will take.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2016/08/21/co...tes-departure/