Plane forced to turn around after 'unusual smell' that sent flight attendant to the hospital
The Qantas flight was heading from Sydney to Wellington when it had to be diverted
A flight had to be cut short after an 'unusual smell' in the cabin, which resulted in a member of the cabin crew being taken to hospital.
We've heard some unsettling travel stories in recent months, including the plane that flew for nine hours but landed back at its original destination.
It's safe to say passengers won't be forgetting this recent Qantas flight from Australia to New Zealand anytime soon.
The Boeing 737 took off from Sydney Airport at 6.45pm on Wednesday evening (October 2) as scheduled.
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The flight to Wellington International Airport usually takes around three hours and 15 minutes. But around an hour into the journey, cabin crew and the plane's pilot noticed a poignant odor and the aircraft was turned around.
The plane landed back at Sydney Airport just after 9pm.
A Qantas spokesperson told The Australian the pilot called for a 'priority landing' - not an 'emergency landing'.
On landing, a cabin crew member was whisked away to hospital for 'a precautionary medical examination'.
An engineering assessment was able to find the source of the smell.
Turns out a product used while fixing a part in the galley area during routine maintenance caused the disruption.
The Qantas spokesperson explained: “The aircraft landed safely and will be checked by engineers before returning to service."
Passengers were given accommodation and booked onto the next available flight.
The spokesperson added: “We apologise for the disruption to their journey and thank them for their understanding.”
The plane had reportedly completed two flights on Wednesday before the incident, as per 7NEWS.
It had flown from Wellington to Sydney and as well as a return trip to Norfolk Island - a tiny Australian island in the South Pacific Ocean located between Australia and New Zealand.
The aircraft in question has since returned to usual service.
UNILAD has contacted Qantas for further comment.
Elsewhere, a flight in Europe recently had to be evacuated after cabin crew observed 'fumes' outside of the aircraft.
On Thursday (October 3), Ryanair flight FR8826 was set to take-off from Brindisi airport in Italy when passengers were forced to evacuate.
Footage has since emerged on social media of the Boeing 737-8AS aircraft (9H-QCB) with one of its engines in flames.
Ryanair said in a statement: "Flight FR8826 from Brindisi to Turin was delayed this morning after cabin crew observed fumes on the outside of the aircraft. Passengers were disembarked without incident and returned to the terminal by bus."
Topics: World News, Travel, Australia, New Zealand
Ellie Kemp