VSThis is the second in three days. An Air France flight operated by a Boeing 777-200, which was initially scheduled to connect Los Angeles to Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, was diverted to Montreal, Canada, where it landed at 10:13 p.m. local time, Thursday, May 9.
According to information from BFMTV, the plane followed an emergency procedure, because of a hot smell in the cabin. “It was diverted after four hours of flight, in accordance with the manufacturer’s procedures, the company’s instructions and in application of the precautionary principle,” the air carrier told the continuous news channel, relayed by our colleagues from The voice of the North. Earlier in the week, Tuesday May 7, another Air France Boeing had already had to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit in the Canadian far north, again due to a hot smell detected on board.
“Everyone started running”
In Montreal, the approximately 300 passengers were still afraid once the plane was on the ground. They were first asked to disembark by the captain because the plane had to undergo “checks”, passengers testified, interviewed by Le Parisien. When everything suddenly sped up. “Everyone started to take their cabin luggage and go down quietly, when suddenly he shouted: PNC rapid descent Then Urgent immediate descent. Everyone started running,” said one of the travelers. According to another passenger, the hostesses shouted to run to the last passengers who had to get off.
Questioned by Le Parisien, Air France explained that it was a classic emergency evacuation. “It’s only a quick disembarkation, as a precaution. The passengers were able to collect their cabin baggage and exit via the gangway,” underlines the group’s press service. Moreover, the plane took the time to return to its parking lot before being evacuated. And to add that there is no link with the other plane, diverted to Canada at the beginning of the week. In the meantime, passengers who had to spend the night in Montreal, some even two, still have many questions. To add insult to injury for some, they struggled to collect their luggage which had not been loaded in Los Angeles…
