A Cathay Pacific flight bound for Melbourne made an emergency return to Hong Kong early Wednesday morning after a tire burst during takeoff. No injuries were reported.
The CX105 flight was scheduled to depart Hong Kong International Airport at 12.30am but returned shortly after takeoff due to suspected tire issues. Airport fire services were placed on standby, and the aircraft landed safely at around 1am.
Passengers and crew disembarked without incident after the aircraft was held briefly on the runway.
One passenger described the ordeal on social media, recalling a “loud bang” during takeoff. The aircraft circled for about an hour before the pilot announced the decision to return to Hong Kong. The passenger expressed frustration as the disruption affected connecting flights and pre-arranged accommodation in Tasmania.
In response to media inquiries, Cathay Pacific confirmed that the aircraft returned to Hong Kong after a flat tire was detected post-takeoff.
The airline said the crew followed standard procedures and that a replacement aircraft was arranged to carry all affected passengers to Melbourne later the same day.
Cathay added that its engineering team is conducting a full inspection and will carry out the necessary maintenance. It apologized for the inconvenience caused, stressing that safety remains its top priority.
According to the Airport Authority’s website, passengers were rebooked onto a rescheduled flight that departed at around 7am on Wednesday.
