A Qantas flight bound for Perth was canceled over the weekend after passengers observed flames emanating from under the plane's wing. The incident occurred on Sunday evening at Karratha Airport, Western Australia, as flight QF1737 prepared for its departure.
The Airbus A320-232 was scheduled to take off at 7:15 p.m. but returned to the gate shortly before departure due to the observed issue.
A Qantas spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft experienced an "engine issue." "Our pilots followed standard procedures, and the aircraft returned safely to the bay," the spokesperson stated. "Safety is always our number one priority. We apologize to customers for the inconvenience and thank them for their understanding."
Passengers were safely disembarked, and the flight was subsequently canceled. Qantas arranged accommodation for the stranded travelers and booked them on the next available flight Monday morning. Engineers are expected to inspect the aircraft before it is returned to service.
This incident follows a similar event in September, where a Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney diverted to Christchurch after passengers reported seeing flames and sparks from an engine shortly after takeoff. In that case, Qantas stated the aircraft landed safely and that the company would contact affected passengers to provide support.