The easyJet flight which was due to take off at 6.09pm on Sunday, circled back to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, landing there again about 20 minutes later after the incident
An easyJet flight bound for Belfast was forced to return to Amsterdam following a bird strike incident, the airline has confirmed. EasyJet flight number 3052/U23052 made a U-turn back to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, touching down approximately 20 minutes after its 6.09pm departure last night (February 8).
The Airbus A320 Neo aircraft’s return to Schiphol Airport was due to a bird strike, and it completed a loop over the sea before heading back to its point of departure, reports Belfast Live.
An update from EasyJet at the time read: “We’re sorry that your flight has been returned to Amsterdam. This is because the plane needs to be inspected by our engineers following a bird strike. This can take between 30 minutes to two hours and we’ll keep you updated as soon as we know more. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority and we thank you for your patience.”
Bird strikes are a frequent event and a regular risk for air travel, with thousands of incidents reported globally each year.
A subsequent update provided by the company yesterday read: “There has been an additional delay because the plane that was scheduled for your flight today experienced a bird strike. Because the issue could not be resolved, we’ve decided to arrange a new plane to fly you to your destination today.”
“The disruption to your flight is outside of our control and is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance.”
The most recent details show that EasyJet flight 3052 is expected to depart from Amsterdam this afternoon, with a planned take-off time of 1pm.
EasyJet has been contacted for a fresh statement.
The news comes after we reported how an easyJet plane experienced a fuel emergency after a bird strike incident at a UK airport. Passengers on board flight U22708 endured a tense diversion after an emergency tannoy announcement was made.
The Airbus A320 departed Madrid last month for what should have been a standard two-hour flight to the West Country. The aircraft was scheduled to land in Bristol at 10pm on January 25. However, as the flight approached its destination, the airport was forced to temporarily suspend all runway operations, according to AirLive.
The publication said the closure was prompted by a bird strike incident involving another aircraft, which required a full runway inspection to clear debris and ensure the safety of subsequent landings.
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