Travellers on an Emirates flight from Manchester to Dubai experienced moments of panic when they heard a dreaded “loud bang,” leading to a grounding ordeal that stretched out for three hours on Wednesday morning.

The aircraft, Flight EK22, headed for Dubai, encountered a stall on the runway following the alarming noise after already trailing an hour from its planned 10 am departure.

Apparently grappling with an engine issue, the Airbus A380 was abruptly stopped, prompting fire crews to swiftly convene at the site as a precaution – a standard procedure according to Manchester Airport authorities. The double-decker plane was then sidelined all day for necessary maintenance before being cleared for its journey back to Dubai.

As the aircraft remained stuck on the tarmac, passengers were left in uncertainty onboard for around three hours while crew members debated over repair options and pondered other transport options, including sourcing another A380.

The Manchester Evening News reports that, eventually, the 600 affected customers were offloaded, resulting in extensive queues at passport controls, but later received seats on alternative Emirates flights departing from different UK airports

An Emirates representative apologised for the issue, stating: “Emirates can confirm flight EK22 from Manchester to Dubai on 13 November was cancelled due to a technical fault.”

They further stated, “Affected passengers were accommodated on other Emirates flights and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. The safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.”