Sydney: Qantas Airways has grounded its entire Airbus A380 fleet following the emergency landing of one its aircraft at Singapore’s Changi Airport.
A double-decker plane, flight QF32 bound for Sydney from Singapore, was carrying 433 passengers and 26 crewmembers when it ran into trouble shortly after take-off on Thursday.
According to reports, the engine of the A380 had dramatically exploded mid-air over the Indonesian island of Batam, near Singapore, and had to return to Changi Airport.
“We have decided that we will suspend all A380 takeoffs until we are fully comfortable that sufficient information has been obtained about QF32,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Alan Joyce, as saying.
“We will suspend those A380 services until we are completely confident that Qantas safety requirements have been met,” he added.
Joyce stressed that the suspensions were a precaution until Qantas understood the reasons for the incident.
“We take our safety standards very seriously,” he said.
He further said that the passengers from flight QF32 would be accommodated in a Singapore hotel.
“Qantas will be operating a replacement aircraft that will fly to Singapore tonight and will depart tomorrow with all the passengers on board,” Joyce said.