HOUSTON – Two separate United Airlines flights made an emergency landing at Bush Airport after both planes possibly struck birds upon takeoff late Tuesday evening.
The first plane, a United flight headed to Las Vegas, made a safe turnaround after the possible bird strike. Later, officials found out that a second United flight to Santiago, Chile, had to turn back around. Authorities believe that plane also struck a bird.
Nicholas Carter, with the Central and South American Bird Strike Committee and the World Bird Strike Association told KPRC bird strikes are a reoccurring problem.
“The problem there is so many birds, so many airplanes,” said Carter. “It’s worse in the spring and fall when birds are migrating. It appears that, that’s probably what these incidents were.”
No injuries were reported on either plane.
United Airlines released the following statement below:
On Tuesday evening, April 25, two separate flights departing George Bush Intercontinental Airport returned to the airport due to bird strikes. Both flights landed safely, and we reaccommodated our customers on other aircraft.