According to the Daily Mail, Daniel Boffey reports that a SriLankan Airlines crew "faced a rebellion when they told passengers they were going to fly on a jet that had lost its wing tip in a runway crash.[The] customers had been on the Airbus A340 a day earlier when it sliced through a wing of a stationary British Airways 747 at Heathrow, delaying departure by 24 hours.
So they were amazed to be boarding the same plane next day for the ten-hour flight to Colombo.
So they were amazed to be boarding the same plane next day for the ten-hour flight to Colombo.
When cabin crew then admitted there was still a 5ft wing tip missing, there was "a minor revolt" as seven passengers demanded to be let off the aircraft. 
A further two-hour delay followed as their baggage was removed before the aircraft could take off.
Club-class passenger Ian McKie, 54, from Loughton, Essex, said: "We were put up in hotels the night of the crash and next morning we were told we would be on a different plane that day.
"We only realised that we were actually going on the same aircraft when we got to the Club lounge and saw the plane but without its wing tip."
The former policeman, who was jetting off for a two-week holiday with his partner Gill Stone, 52, added: "On board, the cabin crew admitted that it was the same one as last time and that the tip had been ripped off.
A further two-hour delay followed as their baggage was removed before the aircraft could take off.
Club-class passenger Ian McKie, 54, from Loughton, Essex, said: "We were put up in hotels the night of the crash and next morning we were told we would be on a different plane that day.
"We only realised that we were actually going on the same aircraft when we got to the Club lounge and saw the plane but without its wing tip."
The former policeman, who was jetting off for a two-week holiday with his partner Gill Stone, 52, added: "On board, the cabin crew admitted that it was the same one as last time and that the tip had been ripped off.
"They assured us it didn't matter but a number of the passengers insisted that they would rather get on the next flight."
The collision happened shortly after 10pm two weeks ago when the BA011 flight to Singapore was waiting on a runway, followed by the SriLankan Airbus.
The SriLankan aircraft wing ripped through the BA flight's wing, tearing off a huge chunk and resulting in the BA jumbo being grounded.
SriLankan Airlines insisted there was no danger in flying without a wing tip.
It added: "They are purely for aerodynamics and to keep fuel costs to a minimum. There is no impact on safety at all. Safety is our absolute priority." "
The collision happened shortly after 10pm two weeks ago when the BA011 flight to Singapore was waiting on a runway, followed by the SriLankan Airbus.
The SriLankan aircraft wing ripped through the BA flight's wing, tearing off a huge chunk and resulting in the BA jumbo being grounded.
SriLankan Airlines insisted there was no danger in flying without a wing tip.
It added: "They are purely for aerodynamics and to keep fuel costs to a minimum. There is no impact on safety at all. Safety is our absolute priority." "
It's possible for the plane to fly with the wing tip damaged; however, I believe the airline should have taken more time to examine the plane for structural damage.And as one reader put it: "Apart from missing the wing tip, would you fly with a pilot who cannot even steer his plane on the ground without hitting another one?"
11 comments:
I prefer my plane intact, thank you very much.
I don't even want my plane to be missing a plastic clip.
Heck no! I wouldn't ride on plane with anything missing!
Wow, No wing tip. That air crew must be crazy! I don't even care to fly on a fully intact plane. I only do it when I can not drive to get there.
Wow this is in incredible and hard to believe!! My answer is absolutely no and no again!! Shoot I have to medicate myself just to get on a plane that has everything working...LOL!!! Great share Texas!! Hugs,
Jackie
That is crazy! I'm a nervous flyer as it is so I'll definitely make sure to take an extra valium so the the thought of missing wing tips doesn't cross my mind! ha ha ha!
Fortunately the passengers didn't go along with what the flight crew was telling them. Quite often many people are afraid to stand up to so called athority and end of in terrible predicaments.
Great post.
Right now, I am so desperate to go on a vacation to anywhere but here...that I might actually consider it!
I would never get on a plane that had beeen damaged the previous day and then had a quick look over to fly out the next day. Maybe if my life depended on flying out of a war torn country and it was either life or death would I fly on a plane like that.
I don't blame them for revolting! Maybe the pilots would have thought twice if they'd been told to start flying with a hole in their cabin window.
this is some crazy mess especially since i fly about once a month to see my girlfriend.
i am more bothered by the fact that some idiot believes that flying without a wing tip would not cause a problem. if that were the case, then they should just start designing planes without wing tips. what a dumb_ss! every part of a plane is needed no matter how insignificant it may seem. even the smallest piece of a plane's anatomy will determine safe flights or major flying caskets.
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That's insane! Would you ride in a car with a flat tire? Is common sense passe nowadays?
Cheers!
D
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