By Greta Stonehouse, Rani Hayman, and Harriet Tatham for the ABC
Flight QF144 landing safely at Sydney from Auckland after a mayday alert. Photo: Screenshot / ABC News Australia
Qantas passengers travelling from Auckland to Sydney say they heard a "bang" when one engine failed mid-flight but were not told the pilot issued a mayday call until after landing safely.
The mayday call was made about an hour before the plane was due to arrive, but this was later downgraded to a PAN (possible assistance needed).
Sandika McAuley was on-board Flight QF144 and realised something was wrong when she heard the noise.
"It was just like a little bit of a bang, and then a little bit of turbulence, and that's it," she said.
"We just thought OK, this is a bit weird."
McAuley said staff kept the atmosphere calm and professional.
Another passenger said he turned his phone on to receive 18 missed phone calls from his wife, who was watching live footage of the incoming jet.
"Have you landed, have you landed?" she had been asking.
He said passengers later debated whether it was better knowing there was an issue during the flight, or after.
"I think it's worse you knowing," he added.
Fellow passenger, Grayson Te Moana, said once people knew of the emergency, the atmosphere was "buzzy".
"It certainly got the adrenaline pumping," he said.
The Boeing 737 twin-engined jet from Auckland, touched down at Sydney Airport just before 3.30pm EDT.
Emergency services were on stand-by as a precaution, after rushing to the site about about an hour earlier.
Qantas said in a statement that the flight "experienced an issue with one of its engines about an hour from its destination".
The flight left Auckland just after 2pm local time.
Just before Christmas, a Sydney to London via Singapore Qantas flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Azerbaijan after pilots noticed a fault indicator in the cockpit.
Qantas said a suspected faulty fire sensor in the cargo hold was to blame.
The airline sent another Airbus A380 from Sydney to the capital Baku to pick up passengers stranded after the diversion.
Earlier this month a Jetstar flight was forced to land in Central Japan after it reportedly received a bomb threat.
The aircraft, owned by Qantas, was reportedly travelling from Narita Airport near Tokyo to Fukuoka, when it was forced to divert to Aichi prefecture, public broadcaster NHK reported at the time.
This year Qantas regained the top spot as the world's safest airline after dropping down to seventh place in 2022, according to AirlineRatings.com.
Last year Qantas toppled down the scale due to a "slight increase in incidents coupled with the fleet age," according to the website.
The website that collates safety, product and Covid ratings online, found the Australian carrier only just beat last year's winner, Air New Zealand.
Qantas previously held the title from 2014 to 2017, and between 2019 to 2021.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said it was a relief to know the aircraft had landed without harm.
"Well done to the highly experienced crew for getting the plane safely home," King tweeted.
"Australia's aviation industry is among the safest in the world because of the dedicated staff working on planes and behind the scenes."
- ABC