CHENNAI: The Etihad Airways flight bound for Abu Dhabi from the city developed a technical snag moments before takeoff on the runway on Tuesday.
The flight, with 228 passengers and 10 crew, was scheduled to depart from Chennai at around 10.15 am. It had begun taxing and was gaining speed on the runway when the pilot detected a technical malfunction.
Airport officials said the aircraft developed a snag in the hydraulic system, which affected the functioning of the landing gear and wheels. Realising that taking off under such conditions would be highly risky, the pilot immediately alerted the Chennai Air Traffic Control and brought the aircraft to an emergency halt.
Later, the airport Fire and Rescue team, along with aircraft engineers, rushed to the spot and confirmed a hydraulic problem, leading to difficulties in the operation of the wheels and other systems.
As a precautionary measure, all 228 passengers were safely deboarded and accommodated in airport lounges. Food and water were provided to the passengers while engineers carried out repair work on the aircraft.
Initially, passengers were informed that the flight would depart around noon. Since there was no proper update till noon, some passengers became agitated and engaged in heated arguments with airport officials inside the terminal, demanding clarity on the delay.
Officials pacified the passengers and assured them that the repair work was nearing completion. They also announced that the flight would depart at 2.30 pm.
After the repairs were completed, the flight departed from Chennai for Abu Dhabi at around 3.10 pm after a delay of nearly five hours.