A Jet2 aircraft departing from Yorkshire had to perform an emergency landing due to a bird strike shortly after taking off. The flight, identified as LS443 en route to Heraklion on the Greek island of Crete, took off from Leeds Bradford Airport around 9 am on Monday. However, the plane collided with a bird soon after departure, leading the crew to immediately cease the ascent. The aircraft safely landed at Manchester Airport at 9:53 am.
A passenger named Alex from Baildon recounted to The Yorkshire Post that there was a loud bang onboard, followed by a distinct smell of burning feathers and flesh. The plane circled at 10,000 feet north of Manchester Airport for about an hour before landing. The emergency services inspected the engine and landing gear upon arrival in Manchester. Passengers were then transferred to another A320 aircraft and resumed their journey by midday.
In the aftermath of the bird strike, the Boeing 737-800 maintained an altitude of approximately 4,500 feet, with flight trackers indicating the plane circling at a low level while the pilots assessed potential damages. Despite Leeds Bradford Airport’s proximity, the decision was made to divert to Manchester Airport.
According to aviation source AirLive, redirecting to Manchester Airport is a standard procedure for aircraft encountering technical problems in the area due to its longer runways, extensive maintenance facilities, and higher capacity, facilitating the rebooking of passengers on alternate flights.
Alex commended Jet2 for their handling of the incident, mentioning the crew’s prompt updates and the provision of complimentary drinks on the subsequent flight. He expressed satisfaction with Jet2’s response, labeling it as excellent and quite an unforgettable experience.
The Mirror has reached out to Jet2 for a statement.
