/ 20 November 2007

SAA Express plane repaired after experiencing difficulties

A South African Airways (SAA) Express flight travelling on Tuesday between Cape Town and Namibia, which had to turn around due to technical difficulties, departed at 1pm, the airline said. ''The aircraft was repaired,'' said SAA Express spokesperson Dileseng Koetle.

A South African Airways (SAA) Express flight travelling on Tuesday between Cape Town and Namibia, which had to turn around due to technical difficulties, departed at 1pm, the airline said.

”The aircraft was repaired and was scheduled to leave at 1pm from Cape Town International Airport today [Tuesday] and will land in Windhoek,” said SAA Express spokesperson Dileseng Koetle.

”The flight had to turn around soon after take-off due to a technical defect. As safety is of the utmost importance, the crew elected to return to base.”

He said that this was not an emergency landing, but rather that it had been done in the interest of minimising the effect on the schedule — and spare parts were available at the base in Cape Town.

Earlier the plane had returned to Cape Town International Airport at 9.30am, an hour and 15 minutes after take off.

Meanwhile, Comair had also sent a team from Johannesburg to Durban International Airport to repair a kulula.com aircraft that lost power in its auxiliary unit used to start up the plane’s engine.

”We have sent a team to fit in a new part … passengers will be flying the same plane once it is fixed and there are no issues regarding safety thereafter,” said Comair spokesperson Stuart Cochrane. — Sapa