Overview
- An Airbus A330 operating PU502 from Buenos Aires to Madrid made an emergency diversion to Natal on Sunday after passengers reported loud noises and a cabin pressure issue, and the aircraft landed with no injuries and a fire‑service response.
- Passengers say they spent many hours with little information, were moved to buses and hotels that lacked rooms, and staged protests at the airport that drew Brazil’s Military Police to the terminal.
- Plus Ultra says it has provided accommodation and assistance and has scheduled a replacement flight to depart Natal on Tuesday at 18:50, but many travelers dispute the consistency and sufficiency of that support.
- Reports differ on how many people were affected, with the airline citing about 292 passengers and multiple outlets and passengers estimating roughly 300 to 400, and some passengers are preparing collective legal claims alleging abandonment.
- The episode highlights a wider operational problem for a small carrier that launched the Buenos Aires–Madrid route this year and has limited or no ground presence in Natal, which complicates short‑notice contingency handling and could draw regulatory attention.