Flydubai announced today, Wednesday, that initial assessments regarding a technical issue that occurred on one of its flights during takeoff from Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday indicate a bird strike on the aircraft's body. However, the airline will examine the engine again to determine the cause.
The Nepali Civil Aviation Authority expressed doubts on Tuesday regarding whether the Flydubai aircraft struck a bird in Nepali airspace, describing the UAE airline's account of the incident as "misleading."
The airline stated that a flight carrying 167 passengers from the Nepali capital Kathmandu to Dubai encountered a bird strike during takeoff late on Monday. A Flydubai spokesperson said on Wednesday, "After following standard operating procedures, the flight crew determined that the engine was operational upon inspection and continued the flight to Dubai. Further examination of the engine is being conducted."
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority did not respond to requests for comments on the incident. The airline confirmed that Flydubai flights to Kathmandu Airport are operating as scheduled.
