A QantasLink flight from Adelaide to Port Lincoln was forced to return to Adelaide twice on Saturday morning which left passengers facing a delay of about six hours before they finally departed on a replacement aircraft.
Flight QF2581, a Dash 8, departed Adelaide Airport at 7.55 a.m. but returned to the tarmac nearly an hour later after colliding with a bird.
After engineers inspected the aircraft and it was cleared to fly again then service took off for a second attempt only to turn back once more when the pilots received a warning indicator in the cockpit, The Advertiser reported.
Passenger Barry Stribling said staff explained the first return was driven in part by maintenance limits at the destination and said that they had struck a bird. In Port Lincoln there’s no mechanical services, so they had to come back to Adelaide.
By late morning, frustration was building in the terminal as travellers weighed up missed plans and mounting costs. One passenger, Imogen Evans, said she was heading to her best friend’s wedding and feared she would miss the ceremony.
Passengers were eventually moved to another aircraft and the flight finally departed just before 2pm while it took off at 2pm, around six hours after the original departure time. The Advertiser reported the replacement service arrived in Port Lincoln at 2.50pm.
Qantas apologised for the disruption and reiterated its safety settings adding the airline appreciated customers patience and understanding.
