London-Milan plane weighs too much, 6 passengers remain on the ground: 250 euro reward if you get off

2023-03-10 18:48:31Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The London-Milan plane weighs too much, 6 passengers remain on the ground

Strong winds and an airport subject to various restrictions caused the crew of a flight to ask some passengers on board to disembark voluntarily and in exchange for 250 euros in compensation to "lighten up" the plane and be able to take off. safe.

The surreal episode took place on Thursday 9 March after lunch on Ita Airways London City (London Airport) on the London-Milan route, which was carrying several Italian journalists and Milan fans returning from the Champions League match against Tottenham.

Technically, the flight was operated by "German Airways", a company from which "Ita" leases small planes (Embraer 190) that can land and take off from a short runway, like that of "London City". Flight AZ227 was supposed to take off at 13.45 (local time, 14.45 in Italy), but difficult weather conditions made it necessary to ease the plane, allowing some people to disembark.

At first - the journalists show with videos and posts on social networks - the crew asked for 5 volunteers (4 men and a woman), then they raised the number to 6 (5 men and a woman), promising a reward voucher of 250 euros.

In the video made by sports reporter Alessandro Alciato, colleague Alessia Tarquinio is seen translating the request for all passengers.

In another video, journalist and TV presenter Gianluigi Nuzzi intervenes: "We've been stuck on the plane for two hours because, they say, it's windy and the plane weighs too much," he comments.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Gianluigi Nuzzi (@gianluigi.nuzzi)

The excess weight, it was estimated, was about 700 kilograms, taking into account the persons to be removed and their luggage.

Failing to seek volunteers, it fell to Tarquinius to communicate the danger of the hard line.

"If these six volunteers do not come out, 'Ita' decides based on the cost of the ticket made. So, those who paid less will probably stay here," the journalist translated.

Adding that the six landed would have been transferred to London's other airport, Heathrow, to be sent to Milan.

Eventually volunteers were found and the flight took off at 16.30 (17.30 Italian time) and landed at 19.12 in Linate.

"The event depended on the weather conditions in the English capital - which were already critical from the start of the day due to strong winds and rain - and which led to additional operational restrictions on the airport's only runway which became usable because of the wind", explains 'Ita' in a statement.

London City is the smallest airport in the British capital. Given its location within the city, the track is only 1,508 meters long and 30 meters wide.

Not only that: the presence of nearby skyscrapers requires a steeper climb than normal, and for this the pilots must have special qualifications.

Restrictions are also placed on aircraft that cannot be very large, so the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 cannot fly to the airport.

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