WATCH: Emergency services attend runway after bird strike hits plane departing Leeds Bradford Airport
A bird strike on a plane departing from Leeds Bradford Airport resulted in an emergency landing at Manchester Airport on Monday morning (April 27) – this was the moment emergency services rushed to the plane on the runway.
The Jet2 flight LS443 from Leeds Bradford Airport to Heraklion in Greece departed from Leeds Bradford Airport at 9am on Monday.
However, a bird strike on the plane – believed to be geese – caused the pilots to take evasive action and land at Manchester Airport a short time later, according to a passenger.
Alex Read, 28, was on the flight.
Alex, from Baildon, told the Yorkshire Post there was a “very loud bang” on the plane, with an “immediate smell of burning feathers and flesh”.
“We held north of Manchester airport at 10,000ft for an hour or so as we waited to land”, Alex explained.
"Emergency crews met us at the end of the runway [in Manchester] to inspect the engine and landing gear as we landed heavy.
“We left the aircraft and moved to another A320 at Manchester.
“We were back in the air by lunchtime.”
Alex, Director of Solar Capture Ltd, praised the way Jet2 staff handled the situation.
"The crew handled it brilliantly with immediate updates from the cockpit to our people at ease and let us know the plan”, he added.
"Free drinks were provided on the following flight.
“I could not fault Jet2 at all for their handling of it.
"Absolutely brilliant and quite an experience!”
Jet2 has been contacted for comment by The Yorkshire Post.