Qantas pilots praised after flying A330 into Perth on one engine

A Qantas flight operated the last stages of a Melbourne-Perth service on Monday night flying with just one engine after a ‘loud bang’, prompting pilots to request a priority landing.

A Qantas A330 like the one involved in the engine incident en route from Melbourne to Perth. Picture: David Rowland/AFP

A Qantas A330 has flown the final stages of a flight from Melbourne to Perth on one engine, after a loud bang was heard, prompting pilots to request a priority landing.

Flight F781 was on approach into Perth when the incident occurred about 11pm AEDT.

Qantas said the pilots “followed procedures for this type of incident, manually shut down the engine and requested a priority landing”.

Emergency services met the aircraft on arrival, but no further action was required, as the A330-200 taxied to the gate under its own power and passengers disembarked normally.

“These aircraft are designed to safely operate with one engine,” said Qantas.

“The aircraft landed safely and without further incident in Perth. We know this would have been unsettling for customers on board, and we thank them for their co-operation and understanding.”

A Qantas A330 has been involved in a mid-air drama.

The Australian and International Pilots Association, which represents Qantas pilots, congratulated the professionalism of the QF781 crew after a safe landing.

“These types of incidents are extremely rare, but Qantas pilots are very well-prepared to manage them safely,” said AIPA president Tony Lucas.

“The safety of our passengers, crew and cargo is always the priority for any pilot, and we rigorously train for these unlikely scenarios.

“The QF781 crew displayed great professionalism, skill and expertise in delivering a safe outcome for everyone.”

The A330s are among the oldest aircraft in Qantas fleet, with this particular aircraft, VH-EBA, arriving in Sydney in December 2002.

Qantas announced last year it would progressively replace the A330s with A350s and Boeing 787s in the years ahead.

The incident followed a drama on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Queenstown on Monday, that saw the Boeing 737 turn back over halfway into the trip.

An engineering issue was the problem, with Virgin Australia opting to bring the 737 back to Brisbane where engineering support was available, rather than continue on to Queenstown.

Passengers will be able to resume their journey to Queenstown on Tuesday, on an “ad hoc” service.