Air Arabia flight grounded in Coimbatore after bird hit

An Air Arabia flight bound for Sharjah was grounded at the Coimbatore International Airport following a bird hit during the takeoff on Monday. Airport authorities and a source in Air Arabia said two kites hit the aircraft when it was on the takeoff roll at 7.17 a.m. As informed by a news report in The Hindu.

The pilot aborted the takeoff, and the flight, with 164 passengers and six crew members, was moved to an apron. The passengers were deplaned. Airport Director S. Senthil Valavan said flight engineers were attending to the aircraft to fix the damage. “They were waiting for further technical assistance from the airline,” he said.

He said the airline arranged hotel accommodation and flight cancellation options for the passengers. Of the two birds that hit the plane, one was found dead, while the other was alive. The incident was reported to the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and others authorities concerned.

Valavan said the airport was witnessing two to three cases of bird hits a month. The administration was using bird-control measures, including the use of zone guns, to scare birds before landings and take-offs, he added.