Georgian Airways plane flying from Tbilisi to Vienna made emergency landing at Tbilisi Airport, no one injured

A Georgian Airways plane carrying 180 people from Tbilisi to Vienna made an emergency landing at Tbilisi International Airport on September 5.

 The landing gear system did not retract after the plane went into the air and pilot had to fly more than one hour over Tbilisi to use certain amount of fuel, because landing in the situation is not safe with a full fuel tank.

Pilots Temur Tolomashvili and Giorgi Giunashvili landed safely the plane with 180 passengers. Photo: from Nino Surguladze's Facebook page.

I was flying to Vienna with my family that day. About 20 minutes after the takeoff, we were informed that due to a technical problem, the plane had to return to Tbilisi Airport.... It was an emotionally difficult moment... Initially the crew members themselves seemed confused , however, fortunately everything ended well... Since eating food is prohibited due to the Covid pandemic, one of the stewardesses gave her own portion of food to my son. It was such a kind gesture from her", Salome Amaglobeli told to Agenda.ge. 

Georgian Airways pilot Temur Tolomashvili, who landed safely the plane at the airport, told the Georgian Public Broadcaster that he hasn’t had a similar case in his 35 years of work experience.

Tolomashvili noted that he had no right to continue the flight according to protocol, that is why he had to make a few circles over Tbilisi.

None of the pilots next to me were confused yesterday. Passengers were informed about the existing problem. Some were scared, some took it normally. The first officer Giorgi Giunashvili was next to me, who coped very well with the situation. He helped me a lot”, said Tolomashvili.

The press office of the Georgian Airways told to RFE/RL that the plane underwent a technical inspection at Lufthansa Airport in Germany a month ago.

The flight to Vienna was carried out about an hour after the incident.