Loading...The rescue campaign to get back 150 000 travellers who suffered from Thomas Cook travel company’s bankruptcy includes more than 40 planes. One of them had to divert to Shannon Airport due to a technical issue.
The flight GTI-2868 operated by Atlas Air was scheduled to fly to Orlando, Florida. The aim was to carry the travellers left there because of the travel company collapse. The plane in question earlier managed to get back the travellers from New York to Manchester.
The departure time from Manchester Airport was at approximately 7.30 p.m. yesterday. It was heading to Orlando to assist in returning stranded holidaymakers when the technical issue occurred. The captain made an announcement about the issue. The flight was carrying only 20 crew members but no travellers.
The Boeing 747-400 jet being about 500 km southwest of Shannon got into a holding pattern flying over the ocean. There were attempts to deal with the matter. The captain confirmed the emergency situation. There was a faulty functioning of the systems not allowing the plane fly across the Atlantic. Having circled for some time it was diverted. It was going to be refueled and ready to precede its flight.
Having landed safely at 10.20 p.m. at the airport the plane was supposed to continue the flight to its destination at 12 a.m. after the refuel. Instead, it was towed from the terminal. And it was left for a night at a remote parking stand. The plane managed to continue its flight at 1.30 p.m. today.
