All FOUR engines have failed

BRITISH AIRWAYS BOEING 787-9 G-ZBKN (MSN 38630)

 

On the 24th of June 1982, British Airways Flight 009, with a callsign of Speedbird 9, was performing a scheduled flight from London Heathrow (LHR/EGLL) to Auckland (AKL/NZAA), with stops in Delhi (DEL/VIDP), Kuala Lumpur (KUL/WMKK) and Perth (PER/YPPH).

During the Kuala Lumpur - Perth sector the aircraft flew into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung around 110 miles (180 km) south-east of Jakarta, Indonesia, resulting in the failure of all four engines. Partly because the event occurred at night, obscuring the cloud, the reason for the failure was not immediately apparent to the crew or air traffic control. 

Shortly after 13:40 UTC (20:40 Jakarta time) above the Indian Ocean, south of Java, the crew first noticed an unusual effect on the windscreen similar to St. Elmo's fire. Despite the weather radar showing clear skies, the crew switched on engine anti-ice and the passenger seat belt signs as a precaution.

As the flight progressed, smoke began to accumulate in the passenger cabin of the aircraft; it was first assumed to be cigarette smoke. However, it soon began to grow thicker and had an odour of sulphur. Passengers who had a view of the aircraft's engines through the window noted that they were unusually bright blue, with light shining forward through the fan blades and producing a stroboscopic effect.

Around 13:42 UTC (20:42 Jakarta time), the number four Rolls-Royce RB211 engine began surging and soon flamed out. The flight crew immediately performed the engine shutdown drill, quickly cutting off fuel supply and arming the fire extinguishers. Less than a minute later, at 13:43 UTC (20:43 Jakarta time), engine two surged and flamed out. Within seconds, and almost simultaneously, engines one and three flamed out, prompting the flight engineer to exclaim, "I don't believe it—all four engines have failed!"

Without engine thrust, a 747-200 has a glide ratio of roughly 15:1, meaning it can glide forward 15 kilometres for every kilometre it drops. The flight crew quickly determined that the aircraft was capable of gliding for 23 minutes and covering 91 nautical miles (169 km) from its flight level of 37,000 feet (11,000 m).

At 13,500 feet (4,100 m), the crew was approaching the altitude at which they would have to turn over the ocean and attempt a risky ditching. Although the crew had guidelines for the water landing procedure, no one had ever tried it in a Boeing 747. As they performed the engine restart procedure, engine number four finally started, and at 13:56 UTC (20:56 Jakarta time), Moody used its power to reduce the rate of descent. Shortly thereafter, engine three restarted, allowing him to climb slowly. Shortly after that, engines one and two successfully restarted, as well. The crew subsequently requested and expedited an increase in altitude to clear the high mountains of Indonesia.

The aircraft landed safely in Jakarta.

The route was flown by the City of Edinburgh, a Boeing 747-236B registered as G-BDXH. The crew members of the accident segment had boarded the aircraft in Kuala Lumpur, while many of the passengers had been aboard since the flight began in London.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: British Airways

Code: BA/BAW

Aircraft: Boeing 747-236

Registration: G-BDXH

Serial Number: 21635

Engines: 4 x RR RB211-524D4

First Flew: 19/03/1979

Age at incident: 3.3 Years

Looking back on Air India Flight 182

AIR INDIA BOEING 787-8 VT-ANH (MSN 36276)

On the 23rd of June 1985, Air India flight 182 disintegrated in mid-air en route from Montreal-Mirabel International Airport, QC (YMX/CYMX), Canada to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL), United Kingdom. It was at an altitude of 31,000 feet (9,400 m) over the Atlantic Ocean. The result of the explosion from a bomb being planted by Canadian Sikh terrorists. The remnants of the airliner fell into the ocean approximately 190 kilometres (120 miles) west-southwest of the southwest tip of Ireland, killing all aboard: 329 people, including 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens and 24 Indian citizens. 

The aircraft took off from Montreal at 02:18 UTC. Its estimated time of arrival at London was 08:33 UTC. At 07:15 UTC, at FL310 over the Atlantic Ocean an explosion occurred in the forward cargo compartment, causing a rapid decompression. The aft portion of the aircraft separated from the forward portion before striking the water. The wreckage sank to a depth of 6700 feet.
From the wreckage retrieved no direct evidence was found of an explosive device. However, there is a considerable amount of circumstantial and other evidence that an explosive device caused the occurrence. Furthermore, because an explosive device detonated in Tokyo the same day. Just 55 minutes before Air-India 182 crashed, A bag from CP Air Flight 003 exploded at Tokyo-Narita Airport, just 55 minutes before Air India 182 crashed. This was probably an interlined unaccompanied suitcase to be placed on Air-India Flight 301 to Bangkok.

Investigation determined that a suitcase was also interlined unaccompanied from Vancouver via CP Air Flight 060 to Toronto. In Toronto, there is nothing to suggest that the suitcase was not transferred to Terminal 2 and placed on board Air India Flight 181/182 in accordance with normal practice. The aircraft departed Toronto for Montreal-Mirabel and London with the suitcase unaccompanied.

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 is the largest mass killing in Canadian history, Canada's worst terrorist attack, the deadliest aviation incident in the history of Air India and was the deadliest act of aviation terrorism until the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: Air India

Code: AI/AIC

Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B

Registration: VT-EFO

Serial Number: 23634

Engines: 4 x PW JT9D-7A

Delivery Date: 30/06/1978

Virgin Australia launches brand new route out of Canberra

Virgin Australia is set to kick off its first international route from Canberra, with the inaugural direct flight to Bali taking off later today.

The new route will run three return flights each week between Canberra (CBR/YSCB) and Denpasar (DSP/WADD), adding over 40,000 seats a year and giving Canberrans a direct link to one of Australia’s favorite overseas holiday spots.

The service is set to benefit travelers from nearby regional areas like Batemans Bay, Bega, Cooma, Jindabyne, and Merimbula, giving them the option to fly internationally through Canberra instead of making the trip to Sydney or Brisbane.

Virgin Australia Chief Marketing and Customer Operations Officer Libby Minogue said the launch marked an important milestone for the airline. “Today marks a significant milestone for Virgin Australia as we operate our first-ever international flight from Canberra, connecting the nation’s capital directly with one of Australia’s most popular overseas destinations,” Ms. Minogue said.

The route boosts Virgin Australia’s Bali network, which already offers direct flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

The flight details are:

• VA 127 Canberra to Bali - Departure: 4:10 PM (Canberra local time) Arrival: 8:55 PM (Denpasar local time) Flight duration: Approximately 6 hours 45 minutes.

• VA 128 Bali to Canberra - Departure: 9:45 PM (Denpasar local time) Arrival: 5:35 AM (next day, Canberra local time) Flight duration: 5 hours 50 minutes

The aircraft expected to perform the inaugural flight today is VH-8IK (MSN 65116)

Brisbane Airport to get a third passenger terminal

The Australian government has officially approved Brisbane Airport’s (BNE/YBBN) master plan, which features the construction of a third passenger terminal. Brisbane Airport plans to invest A$5 billion in infrastructure upgrades, partly to prepare for the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane. The plan includes building the new terminal and renovating the two existing ones.

The approved master plan “will ensure Brisbane Airport remains a world-class gateway as we invest more than A$5 billion just in the next five years,” BNE CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said. BNE has previously said the new Terminal 3 (T3) will be “constructed and operational by the early 2030s.”

In the draft master plan, BNE said T3 will be located between the airport’s two parallel runways. The location “will result in optimal airfield access and reduce aircraft taxi times,” according to the master plan. BNE has not settled on a specific size or initial capacity for the new terminal. BNE handled 25 million passengers in 2025, the airport’s busiest year ever. De Graaff said the master plan paves the way for the airport to have the “capacity to handle more than 50 million passengers in two decades.”

According to the master plan, “T3 will incrementally expand over the coming decades to meet growth passenger forecasts, with the size of T3 informed through terminal planning studies, airline community interests, precinct commercial opportunities and consideration of the customer experience.”

Body of a man found hidden in landing gear of Air Arabia flight

Ground crews have made a grim discovery shortly after a plane landed at a London airport, finding the body of a man the landing gear. The shocking find was reported to be in the undercarriage of an Air Arabia flight that arrived at London’s Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK) from Tangier, Morocco (TNG/GMTT), around 11:45 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

The man is believed to have hidden in the undercarriage bay prior to departure from Tangier Battouta International Airport, exposing himself to the unforgiving conditions of high-altitude flight. Unpressurized landing gear compartments subject individuals to sub-zero temperatures, severe hypoxia, and the mechanical dangers of retracting gear, often resulting in fatal outcomes. Air Arabia Maroc confirmed that authorities were notified immediately, while the return flight experienced minor delays. Gatwick Airport officials emphasized their emergency response, underscoring the shock experienced by ground crews who encountered the remains. Such stowaway attempts underscore desperate measures sometimes taken amid migration pressures, though they rarely succeed due to the physiological extremes at cruising altitudes.

An Air Arabia spokesperson told reporters that “an incident was identified upon the arrival of Air Arabia Maroc Flight 3O102 from Tangier to London Gatwick on the 16th of June 2026, and the relevant authorities were immediately notified”.

It is not the first incident of its kind in London though, with several other reported deaths of stowaways in recent years.

• A man died in December 2022 in a similar incident at Gatwick Airport when he was discovered in the undercarriage of a Tui Flight from Gambia.
• In 2019 a man fell from a Kenya Airways plane’s landing gear as it approached Heathrow Airport. His body was found several kilometres away in a home garden.
• Another man also fell to his death in 2015 after travelling in the undercarriage of a plane from Johannesburg. His body was found in the carpark of a shop in Southwest London.
• It was reported at the time that a South African man on the same flight miraculously survived the 11-hour flight by clinging to the landing gear on the plane.

Aircraft Information:
Airline: Air Arabia Maroc
Code: 3O/MAC
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Registration: CN-NMH
Serial Number: 5143
Engines: 2 x CFMI CFM56-5B4/P
First Flew: 2nd May 2012
Age: 14 years

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident.

Japan Airlines CEO has taken a 30% pay cut due to crew members allegedly breaching company policies

Japan Airlines CEO Mitsuko Tottori has taken a 30% pay cut to accept institutional accountability and responsibility following incidents where flight attendants and pilots violated company alcohol policies. JAL also responded by banning all 6,000 of its flight attendants from drinking alcohol on work layovers. According to a report the incident involved two cabin crew members allegedly breaching company alcohol policies during a layover period. Reports indicate that the issue came to light after pre-duty checks identified a problem involving at least one crew member, resulting in operational disruption and an internal review.

The situation has since triggered a wider response from the airline, including disciplinary measures and tighter rules affecting both frontline staff and senior management. With Japan Airlines tightening enforcement and applying executive-level consequences.

On the 23rd of May, a flight attendant scheduled to operate a Japan Airlines domestic service, JL252, tested positive for alcohol during a routine pre-flight screening. The crew member was deemed unfit for duty and immediately removed from the assignment, requiring the airline to source a replacement at short notice, which contributed to a delay of approximately 50 minutes to the scheduled departure.

The affected service operated between Hiroshima Airport (HIJ/RJOA) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT), one of Japan Airlines’ high-frequency domestic routes connecting a regional airport with the airline’s main Tokyo hub. Pre-flight alcohol testing is a standard procedure across Japanese carriers designed to confirm compliance with strict fitness-for-duty rules before departure.

A subsequent internal investigation found that two flight attendants had consumed alcohol during their layover period beyond permitted company limits, which set specific restrictions on pre-duty alcohol intake. The airline determined that the consumption occurred the day before departure and represented a breach of internal policy, escalating the matter from a single failed test to a wider compliance violation within the crew pairing on that layover.

Japan Airlines responded by implementing disciplinary measures affecting both frontline staff and senior management. CEO Mitsuko Tottori, the first female to lead the company after joining as a flight attendant herself in 1985, accepted a 30% reduction in salary for two months, while other executives also received temporary pay cuts as part of the company’s internal accountability process. Safety manager Yukio Nakagawa and cabin services manager Junko Nakano will each take a 20% salary reduction for one month.

Meanwhile, all other directors will receive a 10% pay cut over the same period, according to reports. Alongside executive action, the airline introduced a stricter policy banning alcohol consumption during layovers for more than 6,000 flight attendants. The change was intended to remove ambiguity in existing rules and strengthen enforcement of pre-duty alcohol restrictions across operational staff.

The response reflects a governance approach in which senior leadership shares responsibility for systemic compliance failures, combining individual disciplinary action with broader policy tightening aimed at preventing recurrence of similar incidents. Japan’s transport ministry reprimanded Japan Airlines following the incident and required the airline to submit preventive measures to address gaps in compliance monitoring.

Jetstar to launch flights ahead of Singapore from Western Sydney International Airport

Jetstar has taken the spotlight from Singapore Airlines and will now become the first commercial airline to operate from Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) when it launches services on the 25th of October 2026, with Qantas to follow in mid-March 2027.

The announcement follows the Qantas Group and WSI Airport sealing a five-year deal for domestic passenger flights and freight. The agreement gives both airlines the flexibility to plan their schedules as demand in Western Sydney continues to rise. WSI is the first major greenfield international airport built in Australia in over half a century.

Jetstar will make history with the first commercial passenger flight from the airport with flight JQ362, departing at 11:00 local time on the 25th of October departing for the Gold Coast Airport (OOL/YBCG). The airline will operate up to 14 flights per week between WSI and Melbourne Airport (MEL/YMML), four weekly flights to the Gold Coast, and three weekly flights to Brisbane Airport (BNE/YBBN). All services will use an Airbus A320 aircraft.

Qantas passenger services will begin on the 28th of March 2027 with four flights per week to both Melbourne and Brisbane, operated by QantasLink Embraer E190 aircraft.

Before passenger flights begin, Qantas will be one of the first commercial operators at the airport when its inaugural freighter service takes off from WSI’s 24-hour Cargo Precinct on the evening of the 27th of July 2026. More than 850 tons of freight are expected to move through the Qantas terminal each week, supporting e-commerce and next-day deliveries.

Singapore Airlines had officially been confirmed as the first airline to depart from the new airport, but, it will still be the first international carrier to operate out of the brand-new Western Sydney International Airport, otherwise known as Nancy-Bird Walton. 

(Nancy-Bird Walton was a pioneering Australian aviator, known as "The Angel of the Outback")