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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Charlotte Cox & Alahna Kindred

TUI flight forced to make emergency landing after tail hits runway during take-off

A TUI flight had to return to the airport less than an hour after taking off after the tail hit the runway during take-off.

The pilot was forced to dump fuel and return to Manchester Airport in "emergency mode".

Holidaymakers on the fully-booked TOM 2384 were hoping to get to Fuerteventura when it took off at 8.30am on March 9.

The tail "contacted the runway surface", which is called a "tail strike", meaning the crew had to stop the Boeing 737-800's ascent, ManchesterEveningNews reports.

The plane then had to fly around the Lake District to burn off fuel before returning to Manchester airport for a safe landing.

A TUI flight was forced to land in Manchester Airport on March 9 (AFP via Getty Images)

Everyone was able to get back to the airport safely and passengers boarded a new flight about seven hours later.

The original plane was reported to still be on the ground at Manchester around 26 hours after landing.

In aviation, a tail strike occurs when the tail of an aircraft strikes the ground or other stationary object. It can happen in both take-off and landing.

A minor tail strike may not be dangerous in itself, it's understood it can weaken the aircraft so it must be fully inspected and repaired to avoid further incidents in its operating life.

The flight came back to Manchester Airport less than an hour after taking off (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A spokeswoman from TUI said: "Flight TOM2384 from Manchester to Fuerteventura conducted a precautionary return landing after experiencing a technical issue.

"The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and everyone was safely disembarked. We would like to apologise to those customers affected and thank them for their patience and understanding."

The Mirror has contacted TUI for a statement.

It comes as TUI joins other airlines in dropping their face mask requirements while onboard for domestic flights.

TUI, Jet2, easyJet, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been easing their face mask rules on flights.

The holiday giant already changed its policy earlier this month, which means that passengers travelling on TUI airways flights to/from England or Northern Ireland are no longer required to wear face masks, in line with local guidance.

This was also extended to include flights to/from Wales, following the news that face masks are no longer a requirement in indoor public places or public transport in Wales.

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