No fewer than 100 Lagos bound passengers were left stranded at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano on Sunday after they were made to alight off an Aero Contractors aircraft which had to make air return, a few minutes after takeoff.
The pilot made a return to base shortly after take off at 9:30am because of strange noise emanating from its right engine which many of the passengers observed, The NATION reports
It turned out that a bird strike cracked the engine propeller which might have inflicted damage to it.
The passengers were disembarked and told by officials at the departure lounge that they were waiting for advice from the airline headquarters in Lagos within one hour. This was not to be.
After about five hours and no officials of the airline in sight any longer, the distraught passengers left the airport without options available to them to travel.
However, the airline later called to inform the passengers, some of whom had made alternative flight arrangements, that a plane would be sent to fly them to Lagos at 11 pm.
A pilot said the decision of the pilot to return prevented a likely crash since the extent of the incident could be more serious.
