Thu, Aug 25, 2005
One Diverted, One Damaged
Under the watchful eyes of union leaders, national media and the
general public, two Northwest Airlines flights were beset by
problems Wednesday -- one mechanical, and one that appeared very
much like a teenage prank on a grander scale.
Northwest Flight 1271, traveling from Minneapolis to Billings
(MT) with 136 passengers aboard, was diverted to Billings Logan
International Airport after the pilots received an indication of a
mechanical problem. The Airbus A320 landed without incident, and
passengers used portable stairs to exit the plane.
Passengers reported that they began hearing "strange" noise
about a half-hour before landing in Billings. "We heard this
flapping noise. The captain came on the intercom and said we were
having hydraulic problems," said passenger Kathee McCafferty.
Northwest provided a bus for passengers who couldn't find alternate
transportation to Bozeman.
Kurt Ebenhoch, a Northwest Airlines
spokesman from Minneapolis, described the problem as a "hydraulic
issue," but declined to be more specific. He said such problems
occur periodically, irrespective of any labor disputes.
However, another incident Wednesday looks to be a little more
difficult to separate from the strike. While conducting a routine
preflight inspection, Northwest ground crews found two landing gear
tires deflated on a B757, according to Northwest spokesman Todd
Morgano.
No other damage was found, but those two flat tires were enough
to scrub the aircraft's scheduled flight to Minneapolis. Again,
passengers were forced to find alternate ways to reach their
destination.
The airline reported federal officials are investigating the
suspected prank.
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