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Expert Says Virgin Australia’s Sudden Descent Was Standard Response to Cabin Depressurisation

A former Qantas pilot says emergency oxygen masks activate automatically above 14,000 feet, forcing cockpit crews to forgo public announcements to focus on managing rapid depressurisation.

Frightening moment Virgin Australia flight makes ‘sudden descent’.

Overview

  • A Virgin Australia Sydney–Brisbane flight experienced cabin depressurisation on August 13, forcing it to drop from about 37,000 feet to under 10,000 feet and deploy oxygen masks.
  • Flightradar24 data confirms the aircraft descended to approximately 8,775 feet before stabilizing and landing safely at Brisbane Airport roughly ten minutes behind schedule.
  • Pilots transmitted a PAN call to Air Traffic Control and followed prescribed emergency descent procedures, with no passengers or crew sustaining injuries.
  • Several passengers reported minimal in-flight communication and only learned about the depressurisation after the aircraft had landed.
  • Virgin Australia has ordered an engineering inspection of the plane, initiated an internal safety review and is offering counselling services to those on board.