Three airlines suspended flights of Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo jetliners Thursday after an engine on a Qantas plane blew apart shortly after takeoff from Singapore.Debris fell on an Indonesian island, and the plane, with 459 people aboard, spent 90 minutes circling with its three remaining engines, dumping fuel and preparing for an emergency landing back in Singapore. The episode ended with passengers cheering and praising the flight crew for maintaining calm. There were no reported injuries.
Justin Dubon, an Airbus spokesman in France, said it was the first uncontained engine failure and the most serious problem experienced by the A380, which entered service in 2007. Such a failure is rare and occurs when components fly off the main engine housing, often with explosive force.
The 20 operated by Qantas, Singapore and Lufthansa all use the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine. Seventeen others operated by Air France and Emirates use a different engine.
For more: Travel | 3 airlines ground A380s after engine blowout | Seattle Times Newspaper
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