Plus Ultra Flight Diverts to Natal After In-Flight Technical Problem

Overview

• The Airbus A330 operating flight PUE502 from Buenos Aires to Madrid declared an emergency and made a safe diversion to Natal after a technical problem on the second engine, officials said.
• There were 312 people on board and no injuries were reported when the aircraft landed at the Aeroporto Internacional de Natal.
• Many passengers spent more than 48 hours in Natal and staged protests in the terminal as the airport administration called the Polícia Militar to contain tensions.
• Plus Ultra arranged a replacement flight identified as PUE902 and said it provided lodging and transfers, but passengers reported problems including vouchers without names, hotels with no rooms or unpaid bookings, and poor communication about schedules.
• The episode highlights how standard regulator-aligned emergency rules can strain logistics for carriers that do not operate regularly in a country and may prompt closer scrutiny of on-the-ground passenger assistance.