Delta flight returns to Barcelona after sustaining damage from hail
Delta flight 169 to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport returned to Barcelona shortly after takeoff on July 12.
'The flight landed safely in Barcelona and customers were reaccommodated on alternate flights to their final destinations,' the airline told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 'Delta apologizes to our customers for the delay in their travels.'
Bird strikes, turbulence and weather: Despite hazards, flying is extremely safe
The company did not respond to questions regarding the extent of the damage. The plane returned less than an hour after takeoff, circling twice before landing back at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
The Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incident is not the only one of its kind in recent years. Another Delta flight from Milan to New York made an emergency landing in Rome in 2023 after the plane was pummeled by hail not long after departure.
This story was updated to add new information.
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USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Delta flight returns to Barcelona after sustaining damage from hail
A U.S.-bound Delta Air Lines flight diverted back to Spain after the aircraft sustained 'weather-related damage' caused by hail, the carrier said. Delta flight 169 to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport returned to Barcelona shortly after takeoff on July 12. 'The flight landed safely in Barcelona and customers were reaccommodated on alternate flights to their final destinations,' the airline told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 'Delta apologizes to our customers for the delay in their travels.' Bird strikes, turbulence and weather: Despite hazards, flying is extremely safe The company did not respond to questions regarding the extent of the damage. The plane returned less than an hour after takeoff, circling twice before landing back at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. The Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The incident is not the only one of its kind in recent years. Another Delta flight from Milan to New York made an emergency landing in Rome in 2023 after the plane was pummeled by hail not long after departure. This story was updated to add new information.
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business Insider
A Delta plane had to U-turn after flying through a hailstorm that seemingly put a dent in its nose
A Delta Air Lines flight turned back to Spain after being damaged by flying through a hailstorm. The Airbus A330 departed Barcelona around 2:30 p.m. local time on Saturday. Flight 169 was supposed to touch down at New York's JFK Airport about eight hours later. After takeoff, data from Flightradar 24 shows the plane looped over the mainland before heading back out over the Balearic Sea. It then circled a few times and returned to Barcelona, landing back where it started around 45 minutes earlier. A Delta spokesperson said the plane experienced "weather-related damage after departure." Images shared on social media appeared to show a large dent in the center of the plane's nose, and other signs of damage consistent with hail. Travel news site Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported that some passengers said they received severe storm alerts on their phones as the plane was taxiing for takeoff. According to flight-tracking data, the nine-year-old Airbus A330, registered as N827NW, was still parked in Barcelona on Monday. "The flight landed safely in Barcelona and customers were reaccommodated on alternate flights to their final destinations," the airline spokesperson said in the statement. "Delta apologizes to our customers for the delay in their travels." This wouldn't be the first time that a plane has been damaged by bad weather. Last year, an Austrian Airlines plane's windscreen shattered and its nose cone was torn off after flying through a thunderstorm. And back in 2023, another Delta flight, from Milan to New York, had to divert to Rome after flying through a hailstorm, USA Today reported at the time.
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