Social media platforms have been buzzing in recent hours with a "live" video from inside a flight operated by Air Arabia, which was coming from Riyadh and headed to Borg El Arab Airport in Alexandria but made an emergency landing at Cairo International Airport. Passengers on the flight appeared upset in the video as they faced a delay of two hours, attributed to adverse weather conditions at Borg El Arab Airport on Wednesday.
Local media sources indicated that the Air Arabia flight took off from Cairo at 8:15 PM, intending to continue to Borg El Arab after visibility conditions improved. It was noted that changing the flight path due to landing visibility issues is a decision made by the pilot to ensure the safety of passengers and the aircraft, a common practice internationally in accordance with safety regulations.
In response, Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a statement last night, saying: "In light of the discussions on social media regarding a video broadcast from inside the aircraft, and due to the poor weather conditions at Borg El Arab International Airport on April 17, 2024, the flight's destination was changed to Cairo International Airport."
The ministry added in its statement: "The aircraft landed at 5:45 PM, where the pilot requested to refuel without disembarking passengers, and waited for weather conditions to improve at Borg El Arab, as per the email received from the airline." The statement continued: "The aircraft took off at 8:09 PM, and the claim regarding the aircraft waiting for over 6 hours is untrue."
The Ministry of Aviation urged Cairo Airport authorities to request that all media outlets ensure accuracy and caution regarding the information circulating on social media, and to consult concerned authorities for confirmation before publishing.
