On Tuesday, September 24th, an Emirates Airlines flight EK547 from Chennai International Airport (MAA) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) experienced an unexpected delay after smoke was detected on the ground, prompting a quick response from airport authorities.

The affected flight, EK547, was scheduled to depart from Chennai at 10:00 PM local time, with 280 passengers onboard. However, just before takeoff, the flight crew noticed smoke coming from the aircraft’s Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), a compact gas turbine engine located at the aircraft’s tail cone. The APU is responsible for providing electrical and mechanical power, especially during the starting process of the main engines.

• READ MORE ABOUT THE APU HERE

Emergency Response

Upon detection of the smoke, the crew immediately informed airport officials, and technical experts were dispatched to inspect the aircraft. As a precautionary measure, fire tenders were also deployed to the scene. According to reports, the smoke ceased within 10 minutes of its initial detection, and no serious damage or danger was reported.

Smoke During Refueling

The smoke incident occurred while the aircraft was undergoing refueling procedures ahead of its departure. Though the cause of the smoke remains undisclosed by airport authorities, it is clear that the crew’s quick actions and the immediate response from ground services helped mitigate the situation.

Flight EK547 Resumption

After safety checks were completed, flight EK547, a Boeing 777-300ER registered as A6-ECZ, eventually took off at 12:30 AM IST. The aircraft, which is 14.7 years old and powered by GE90 engines, landed safely at 2:30 AM local time in Dubai, with no further issues reported.

• Featured image by Jeffry Surianto