Strange smell grounds Cathay jet

Cathay Pacific Airways encountered an incident yesterday when one of its flights, CX633 bound for Penang, Malaysia, had to return to Hong Kong due to reports of an "unusual smell" in the cabin.

The Airbus A330 jet circled Lantau before safely landing back at the airport. No injuries were reported and the airline assured passengers that a thorough inspection would be conducted.

Cathay Pacific promptly provided assistance to passengers by offering them a rest area or lounge to relax in and distributing meal coupons.

A replacement aircraft operated the flight to Penang later that day and the 190 passengers reached their destination at approximately 4.49 pm.

The airline expressed apologies for the disruption and appreciation for the understanding of its passengers, emphasizing safety remains its primary concern.

"[The flight] made a precautionary return in accordance with standard procedure after receiving a report of an unusual smell in the cabin after takeoff," said Cathay Pacific. "The aircraft landed safely at 8.53 am. No passengers or crew members were reported injured. A full inspection will be carried out on the A330 aircraft."

The Airport Authority was alerted to the situation when it received a report about suspected smoke emanating from the cabin after takeoff. "The flight landed safely without causing any operational disruptions."

Cathay Pacific had experienced a similar incident on October 26 when an A350 aircraft, scheduled for a San Francisco flight, emitted smoke while waiting for departure on the runway. In that instance as well, no injuries were reported and the flight continued with a different aircraft later in the day.

Cathay Pacific explained that all its A350 airplanes utilized the same engine model, which occasionally emitted white smoke when operating at low speeds on the ground. The airline said it was a normal phenomenon.