Summary
A Qantas Airways flight from Canberra took off with 51 passengers unaccounted for due to a data error. The plane departed with incorrect weight information, which could have led to safety issues, but no injuries occurred. Qantas plans to improve its safety procedures following the incident.
Key Facts
- A Qantas flight from Canberra airport had a data error marking 51 passengers as not on board.
- The error affected the reported weight of the Boeing 737, which could have caused takeoff issues.
- The mistake happened because a smaller aircraft type was entered into the flight plan.
- Attempts to correct the issue before takeoff failed due to communication problems.
- The incident did not result in injuries, as additional safety measures compensated for the error.
- Qantas will change its communication and safety procedures to prevent similar issues.
- Qantas now requires headcounts when there's a passenger discrepancy.
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) highlighted the need for proactive error handling in air transport.
