A Delta Air Flight no 54 which took off on the 5th of August 2022, had to be diverted by the pilot back to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta US, Nairametrics can authoritatively confirm.
The reason for the diversion was due to a fault on the plane that disrupted it from hitting the right altitude mid-flight. The pilots then took the decision to return from where it departed after informing tensed passengers.
Records of the flight being diverted were captured by the flight tracking website, Flight Aware detailing the trajectory of the flight over. grueling two and a half hour period for its passengers.
Source: Flightware
Flight data
The flight is an Airbus A330-200 (twin-jet) and departed at about 9.29 pm EDT. The flight had been delayed for about 2 hours before departure.
- According to passengers on the plane who spoke to Nairametrics on the condition of anonymity, the plane struggled to gain altitude an hour after departure forcing the pilot to return to Hartsfield-Jackson airport.
- The data from Flightware shows the plane departed at about 9.29 pm US time and gained an altitude of about 33,000 FT before it diverted en route back to the airport, landing at about 12.22 am.
Passengers were lodged in a hotel and refunded their full fare plus accommodation for about two days before they boarded another flight.
Prayer and responsibility
One of the passengers who spoke to Nairametrics narrated the condition of the plane after the pilot announced they were making a U-turn because of the faulty plane.
- “There was a bedlam of prayers and worship going on in the plane” he stated. He also revealed that the decision to return to Atlanta was that of the Pilot, who considered his kids when making the decision.
- “We were relieved when we landed so I engaged the pilot who told me he was not going to take a risk even when the tower the final decision to him. Especially as he has young kids.
For some of the passengers, the decision of the pilot to consider safety first was enough to comfort the inconvenience of having to wait two days for another flight.
Delta Air took charge of the passengers when they returned as the passengers confirmed they were “professional” in the way the situation was handled.
All Delta flights to and from Lagos have arrived successfully since then.
About Delta Share
Delta Air share price is down 15.79% year to date but up 10% this month as bulls gradually stage a comeback in the US stock market.
- It is currently trading at a price of $33.93 and has a forward earnings per share of $2.73
- The company is expected to hit about $50 billion in revenues this year.
- The company operates through a fleet of approximately 1,200 aircrafts.
Delta Airlines needs to upgrade the planes used for Africa, especially Nigeria. Since they fly almost every day. I have encountered a fuel leakage issue from Atlanta coming to Nigeria before and Air conditioner issues from Nigeria to Atlanta 2 years ago and of recent, I heard the plane that turned around back to New York en routes to Ghana, and then this one adds to it . Does any bad thing have to happen before something is done to these planes going to Africa?
I am a regular customer using delta airlines to Nigeria and I have not encountered any problems but this report makes me think again whether to change airline now that we have other airlines other then delta airline that goes to Nigeria directly from USA. Delta should consider to purchase all brand new aircrafts to this part of the world because of the distance from their hub in Atlanta. Don’t wait till accident happens before doing the right thing. African are people too, take care of us as you will take care of the fleets that go to Europe. A word is enough for the wise.
And another thing what was this airplanes registration number? In 2018 Delta’s airbus A330-200 had to turnaround and land just minutes after taking off from Lagos. And they do not turnaround that close to taking off unless it is a life-threatening decision. As we all know, when they take off the planes are above fuel capacity on long haul flights, so that is a lot of fuel having to be dumped mid air and circling around to make emergency landings. At lease we know Delta will not take risks or chances, some airlines would have kept pushing through and then later you be on CNN.