A QantasLink flight has been hit by a suspected bird strike in South Australia.
Flight QF2581 aboard a Dash 8 aircraft left Adelaide at 7:55 am on Saturday but shortly after take-off, the crew reported the incident, prompting the aircraft to turn back and land safely.
Engineers inspected the plane on the ground and cleared it to fly, with passengers re-boarding for the flight to Port Lincoln.
However, partway through the second attempt, a generator warning light illuminated in the cockpit, signalling a potential technical issue unrelated to the earlier bird strike, forcing the plane to return to Adelaide again.
The back-and-forth led to a six-hour delay, with the flight ultimately departing on a third aircraft just before 2 pm.
Passengers described the situation as “unbelievable” and “frustrating” with one claiming she would miss part of a friend’s wedding where she was set to be MC.
A Qantas spokesperson apologised for the disruption, emphasising that safety is the airline’s top priority and thanking customers for their patience and understanding.
