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Connor Mycroft

A Starlux Airlines flight departing from Hong Kong was forced to stop on its way to the runway due to a suspected oil leak, leaving 185 passengers stranded on board for more than four hours.
Some passengers were reportedly heard screaming when the plane came to a sudden stop.
The Airport Authority said on Sunday that at around 8pm the previous evening, flight JX236 bound for Taipei stopped on the taxiway because of a mechanical issue and had to be towed back to its parking stand.
“During this time, Hong Kong International Airport operated normally, with only one other departing aircraft experiencing a slight delay due to taxiway obstruction,” it said.
Police said officers were deployed to the scene after receiving a report of the incident, adding that it was suspected to have been caused by a hydraulic oil spill.
The Civil Aviation Department said the concerned flight reported encountering technical problems while it was taxiing for departure on Saturday.
It said the department immediately alerted the Airport Authority and the relevant fire and emergency response teams to commence the necessary precautionary inspections.
The aircraft involved was subsequently towed to a parking bay for further maintenance actions, and departed from the airport afterwards.
Images shared online showed fire trucks and ambulances deployed to the scene.
The Airport Authority added that there had been 13 crew members and 185 passengers on board at the time of the incident.
A social media user, who claimed to be a passenger, said that boarding had commenced around 7.15pm.
At around 8pm the person said the plane came to a sudden stop while taxiing, leading others on board to “scream in fright”.
About 20 minutes later, the pilot reportedly announced over the intercom that there was a problem with the aircraft’s systems and that it would need to be towed back.
Passengers were served a meal at around 9.20pm, but according to the social media user, a flight attendant only told them that the aircraft needed refuelling.
During this period, the user said the air conditioning was also turned off intermittently, leaving passengers coughing and complaining of the heat.
At 11.20pm, after four hours on board, the passengers were finally informed that there was a safety issue and that the flight had been cancelled, the user said.
Passengers were then allowed to disembark and make alternative arrangements.
“Being stuck on the plane for four hours and experiencing difficulty breathing was extremely tiring! No one offered to explain the situation, resulting in wasted time and energy and travel delays,” the user said.
“This was my first time flying with this airline, and I will never consider using this airline again.”
The Post has contacted Starlux Airlines for comment.


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News

Hong Kong

Transport

Screams reported on board as flight to Taipei stopped on its way to the runway over a suspected oil leak, leaving 185 passengers stuck


Screams reported on board as flight to Taipei stopped on its way to the runway over a suspected oil leak, leaving 185 passengers stuck.


Airport Authority Hong Kong

Hong Kong International Airport