TUI flight had to stop due to a mistake that put passengers in danger of losing consciousness.

According to an investigation, a TUI flight was forced to abort its journey after the plane failed to pressurize due to a mistake with the switches. Luckily, there were no injuries reported when the flight, headed to Kos, returned to Manchester. However, the 187 passengers and six crew members were exposed to a potential risk of hypoxia, a lack of oxygen.

The incident occurred on October 17, 2023, when the Boeing 737-8K5 had just reached northern Lincolnshire. The pilots were alerted by a cabin altitude warning, which signaled that the engine bleed air system was turned off. This was due to the switches that regulate air pressure being mistakenly left off during maintenance the night before. Unfortunately, during the pre-flight checks, the engineers failed to turn them back on, and the pilots were unaware of this mistake.

As the plane failed to pressurize, the warning light remained on for 43 minutes. However, the prescribed drills were not completed, and the Quick Reaction Handbook, which includes using oxygen masks immediately, was not followed. It is important to note that a lack of oxygen can impact decision-making abilities. The crew continued to climb, and it was only after a second warning that the pilot decided to turn back to Manchester Airport.

Had the plane continued its ascent, the oxygen masks would have automatically dropped once it reached 14,000ft. While the risk of losing consciousness at this altitude is minimal for healthy individuals, it can still affect decision making. The report suggests that the pilots may have thought it was unnecessary to use the oxygen masks after turning on the switches. However, the investigators believe that taking this immediate action would have provided protection against the risk of hypoxia and allowed the pilots to assess the situation more clearly.

In conclusion, the incident was caused by a simple mistake with the switches, which could have been avoided if the engineers had turned them on during the pre-flight checks. The pilots, too, could have responded differently by using the oxygen masks as a precautionary measure. This would have given them more clarity and control over the situation. Metro has reached out to TUI for their comments on the matter.

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