[SeaWolf]

At least 45 dead in Madrid plane crash - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

At least 45 people were killed when a Spanair jet crashed on take-off at Madrid airport, the Government said, but an emergency services source reported about 150 fatalities. A large cloud of smoke billowed at Terminal Four from the remains of flight JK5022's MD82 jet for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

[FPred]

I read about this. Very tragic.

[Dave Noble]

The latest report on SMH ( Plane bursts into flames in Madrid: 146 dead - World - smh.com.au ) indicates that around 146 of the 175 onboard are believed to have died

"According to El Pais newspaper, 166 passengers and nine crew members were on board and just 27 are believed to have survived."

Dave

[Harpoon]

Trying not to be too insensitive, but it makes me so thankful we have QF here, with the record they have. It makes the last 3 months of "issues" for QF seem completely insignificant when tragedies like this Spanair one happen.

[Dave Noble]

Originally Posted by Harpoon

Trying not to be too insensitive, but it makes me so thankful we have QF here, with the record they have. It makes the last 3 months of "issues" for QF seem completely insignificant when tragedies like this Spanair one happen.

Spanair isn't, afaik, that reknown for accidents. Accidents can happen to any airline

Dave

[Harpoon]

I wasn't trying to say they were, didn't mean it like that. I just meant all the recent media fiasco/hype around QFs safety record gets put in perspective when a 'real' tragedy occurs.

[NYCguy]

Originally Posted by Dave Noble

Spanair isn't, afaik, that reknown for accidents. Accidents can happen to any airline

Dave

Spanair is owned by SAS. As Dave said, accidents do happen. We'll just have to wait a couple of years for the final verdict now...

[codash1099]

Originally Posted by NYCguy

Spanair is owned by SAS. As Dave said, accidents do happen. We'll just have to wait a couple of years for the final verdict now...

Spanair have been losing money for some time and SAS have tried to offload them. There are internal problems (pilots have threatened to strike, according to Flight Group- Spanair pilots threaten strike after criticising cost-saving plan ) and it does not look like a happy house.

None of this of course necessarily relates to their crash.

[JohnK]

Sad news. I hope the families of all those involved are able to find peace.

[oz_mark]

MADRID, Aug 28 (Reuters) - One engine on a Spanair plane that crashed in Madrid last week killing 154 people may have had a fault that rammed it into reverse, causing the plane to veer off the runway, Spanish newspapers reported on Thursday.

Spanair crash team focus on faulty thruster-papers | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters