Aeroflot Airbus A330 breakdown disrupts flight operations at Phuket Airport

Phuket Airport faced an hour-long disruption in flight operations after an Aeroflot plane experienced a hydraulic system failure during landing, causing fluid leakage onto the runway.

The incident occurred on April 23, prompting the closure of the runway from 10:32 to 11:37, as confirmed by the Phuket branch of Airports of Thailand (AOT). While the specific flight was not disclosed, FlightRadar24 data indicates that Aeroflot flight SU626 from Yekaterinburg, operated by Airbus A330-300 registered RA-73783, landed around 10:30.

Although Aeroflot’s schedule remained unaffected, 15 flights from other airlines were either delayed or redirected to alternative airports. Boarding cancellations commenced at 10:30, with some flights experiencing delays until 13:50.

The incident, caused by a hydraulic system integrity breach, necessitated the Airbus A330 to be towed off the runway and required thorough cleaning before normal operations resumed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among passengers, but the disruption impacted several airlines and their schedules.