Overview
- The Airbus A330-202 registered LV-GHQ departed Ezeiza late Thursday and returned to the airport after roughly 34–36 minutes in the air, landing safely early Friday with no injuries reported.
- Aerolíneas Argentinas said the crew followed standard procedures, no emergency code was declared, and airport firefighters and ANAC personnel were on scene as a precaution.
- Residents across southern Greater Buenos Aires reported strong explosions and vibrations while the plane was overhead, sounds that the airline and aviation experts say are consistent with a compressor stall, a sudden disruption of airflow inside the engine compressor that can produce bangs or flashes without implying fire.
- Passengers were re-accommodated on a replacement Airbus A330-243 and the service to Madrid departed in the early morning hours, while the original aircraft was taken out of service for inspection.
- A formal technical review of the engine anomaly is under way and investigators will inspect the engine and maintenance records, a process that could cause continued delays or temporary adjustments on the route.